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Janet Lopinski, Joe Ringhofer, and Peteris Zarins

A Music HistoryOverview

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© Copyright 2010 The Frederick Harris Music Co., Limited All Rights Reserved 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the following people for their valuable assistance in preparing this publication:

Dr. Laura Beauchamp-Williamson, EditorElaine Rusk, Director of Publishing, The Frederick Harris Music Co., LimitedAimee Velle, Project Administrator

ContentsHow to Use this Book . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Unit One—The Materials of MusicBuilding a Musical Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Performing Forces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Supplemental Activity: Seating Plan of an Orchestra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Recommended Listening: The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Timeline: Four Major Style Periods in Music History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Review and Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Unit Two—The Baroque PeriodBuilding a Musical Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Listening for Elements of Baroque Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Vivaldi and The Four Seasons The Musical Style and Contributions of Antonio Vivaldi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Building a Musical Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Required Listening: “La Primavera” (“Spring”) from Le Quattro Stagioni

(The Four Seasons), op. 8, no. 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Recommended Listening for Vivaldi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Bach and The Well-Tempered Clavier The Life and Music of Johann Sebastian Bach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Building a Musical Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Supplemental Activity: Identifying Fugal Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Required Listening: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book One,

Prelude and Fugue No. 21 in B flat Major . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Recommended Listening for Bach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Supplemental Activity: Dueling Keyboards—Authentic versus Modern . . . . . . . . . . 34

Handel and Messiah The Life and Music of George Frideric Handel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Building a Musical Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Required Listening: Messiah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Recommended Listening for Handel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Review and Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Unit Three—The Classical PeriodBuilding a Musical Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49Listening for Elements of Sonata Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Haydn and String Quartet, op. 76, no. 2 “Quinten” The Life and Music of Franz Joseph Haydn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Building a Musical Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Required Listening: String Quartet, op. 76, no. 2 (“Quinten”) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Supplemental Listening Activity: Sonata-Cycle Design and the “Quinten” . . . . . . . . 58 Recommended Listening for Haydn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Mozart and Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K 525 The Life and Music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Building a Musical Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Required Listening: Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K 525 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Recommended Listening for Mozart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Beethoven and Symphony No. 5, op. 67 The Life and Music of Ludwig van Beethoven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Building a Musical Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Required Listening: Symphony No. 5, op. 67 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Recommended Listening for Beethoven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Review and Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Unit Four—The Romantic PeriodBuilding a Musical Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80Listening for Elements of Romantic Style . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81

Schubert and Erlkönig, op. 1, D 328 The Life and Music of Franz Schubert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Building a Musical Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Required Listening: Erlkönig . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 Supplemental Listening Activity: Listening to Franz Liszt’s

Transcription of Erlkönig . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 Recommended Listening for Schubert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Chopin and Polonaise in A flat Major, op. 53 The Life and Music of Frédéric Chopin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 Building a Musical Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Required Listening: Polonaise in A flat Major, op. 53 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Recommended Listening for Chopin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Berlioz and Symphonie fantastique The Life and Music of Hector Berlioz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Building a Musical Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 Required Listening: Symphonie fantastique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 Recommended Listening for Berlioz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

Puccini and Madama Butterfly The Musical Style and Contributions of Giacomo Puccini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Building a Musical Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Required Listening: Madama Butterfly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 Supplemental Activity: Through the Eyes of the Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 Recommended Listening for Puccini . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Supplemental Activity: An Introduction to Carmen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 Building a Musical Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Review and Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108

4 Contents

Unit Five—The Modern EraBuilding a Musical Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111Listening for Elements of Modern Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111

Debussy and Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune The Life and Music of Claude Debussy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Building a Musical Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Required Listening: Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114 Recommended Listening for Debussy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116

Stravinsky and Petrushka The Life and Music of Igor Stravinsky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117 Building a Musical Vocabulary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Required Listening: Petrushka (1st tableau) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Recommended Listening for Stravinsky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123

Leonard Bernstein and West Side Story The Musical Style and Contributions of Leonard Bernstein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Required Listening: West Side Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Related Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 Recommended Listening for Bernstein . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Alexina Louie and “Distant Memories” The Life and Music of Alexina Louie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 Required Listening: “Distant Memories,” from Music for Piano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Related Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131 Recommended Listening for Louie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

Review and Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

AppendicesGlossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135Appendix A—Recommended Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151Appendix B—Recommended Listening Materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

5Contents

How to Use this BookThis book is the first in a three-volume series intended to support students and teachers preparing for The Royal Conservatory of Music and National Music Certificate Program history examinations as outlined in the Theory Syllabus, 2009 edition. These books will also be of interest to students and music lovers whose goal is simply to explore music history for the sake of becoming better-informed musicians.

Volume 1 serves as an introduction to the history of Western music and is intended to prepare students for the RCME/NMCP History 1 Examination. Representative composers and works from four of the major periods in music history—Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and the Modern Era—are presented. Emphasis is placed on developing familiarity with the lives and musical styles of selected composers and exploring a wide variety of musical genres and forms.

We recommend that students attend lectures or classes given by a qualified teacher. Students should make it a priority to listen to recordings of the works studied—not doing so would be like studying art history without viewing a single painting! Whenever possible, it would be beneficial for students to examine musical scores while completing listening activities.

More than ever before, the Internet offers limitless possibilities for exploration. With the click of a mouse, we can access specialized information about composers and performers, images, videos, and audio recordings. Many recordings and videos are available free of charge; others can be viewed or downloaded for a nominal fee.

This volume contains a variety of activities that require both writing and listening. Terms necessary to understand and describe music are introduced in segments entitled “Building a Musical Vocabulary.” For each major composer, the heading “The Life and Music of . . .” is used. Specific compositions to be studied are identified by the heading “Required Listening.” Other listening activities involve the identification of musical or stylistic elements in familiar works from the era being examined. At the end of each unit a style summary is provided, as well as an activity entitled “Review and Reflection.” These concluding sections will help students synthesize the information presented while inviting personal opinions.

Since we believe that the study of music history should be both interesting and enjoyable, we have included additional items and activities to enhance the learning experience and provide a broader perspective. Anecdotal facts and stories are inset and framed by brackets, while “Webquests” provide direction for navigating the Internet. “Supplemental Activities” are optional; they are intended to enrich the study of music history by inviting students to gain a more personal experience with the material. Recommendations for additional listening appear after each section devoted to a specific composer.

For a list of recommended resources that includes books, encyclopedias, websites, videos, and DVDs, please consult Appendix A. Appendix B lists recommended listening materials for all required pieces in this volume.

6

Preparing for the History 1 ExaminationThis book will be your most valuable resource as you navigate the course requirements of History 1. The information and activities in this volume will enable you to successfully complete all components of the examination.

Terms and DefinitionsAll terms required for examinations are marked with an asterisk (*). When new terms are introduced, key words and phrases are provided so that you can formulate definitions in your own words. Your completed definitions for these terms should be compiled in the Glossary at the back of the book. This Glossary is organized alphabetically and will be a useful resource when studying.

Composer OutlinesThe outlines of composers’ lives and musical careers will provide you with the information needed to formulate a complete account. To prepare for your examination, we recommend you use these outlines to practice writing biographical sketches in paragraph form. You may wish to maintain a binder or notebook for this purpose. A complete account would include biographical information followed by a summary of the composer’s musical style, list of principal genres cultivated, and titles of major works.

Required ListeningThe listening activities in this volume will prepare you to describe musical works in detail using appropriate terminology. Using the background information provided, details from listening guides, related terms, and your own impressions, you will be able to write complete and thorough descriptions of the required works included in this volume.

Decades of combined teaching and examining experience have helped us to shape this material. This book will help you develop a familiarity with the musical styles of the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Modern Eras. As a result, you will be able to perform and listen to music with a deeper understanding.

Janet Lopinski, Joe Ringhofer, Peteris Zarins

7How to Use this Book

Unit OneThe Materials of Music

Every successful journey requires careful preparation. As we embark on our exploration of music history, it is important that we establish some basic terminology. When you discuss music in conversations or describe it in writing, it is important to use vocabulary that is commonly accepted among musicians.

Building a Musical Vocabulary The elements of music are like building blocks. The study of music history takes on another dimension when we understand how these components are put together. The manner in which a particular composer assembles the building blocks results in their unique personal style.

RhythmJust as the heartbeat creates a natural pulse in our bodies, rhythm makes music come alive. The following terms are fundamental in describing the rhythmic aspects of music.

Match each term to the appropriate definition below:

anacrusis measure simple timecompound time meter syncopation

a metrical unit containing a fixed number of beats; separated on the staff by bar lines

fixed patterns of strong and weak beats

time signatures in which each beat contains two subdivisions

time signatures in which each beat contains three (rather than two) subdivisions

a deliberate shifting of the musical accent to a weak beat

an upbeat, or the last beat of a measure anticipating the downbeat

Melody What often attracts us to a musical composition and later lingers in our memories is the melody. While adjectives such as “beautiful,” “flowing,” and “elegant” may reflect the listener’s reactions, they do little to communicate the nature of a melody. The terms that follow are used to describe melodic characteristics.

“Music creates order out of chaos: for rhythm imposes

unanimity upon the divergent, melody imposes continuity upon

the disjointed, and harmony imposes compatibility upon the

incongruous.” Yehudi Menuhin

8


conjunct motive pitch disjunct phrase rangeinterval

the highness or lowness of a particular sound

the distance between the highest and lowest notes of a melody

the distance between any two pitches

melodies that move mostly in a stepwise direction

melodies that contain many leaps and changes of direction

a series of consecutive pitches that form a musical unit, much like a sentence

a short melodic or rhythmic fragment used to build a melody

HarmonyAnother dimension is added to music through harmony, which supports the melody and provides context. Melody and harmony are interdependent. Just as melody creates the horizontal or linear aspect of a musical fabric, harmony provides a vertical element, giving additional layers to the sound.


cadence consonance harmonic rhythmchord diatonic triadchromatic dissonance

a combination of three or more pitches that create a unit of harmony

a three-note chord that consists of a root, third, and fifth

melodies/harmonies built from the notes of a major or minor scale

melodies/harmonies that include all the notes available within the octave; from the Greek word for “color”

an agreeable combination of tones that provides a sense of relaxation and stability

a combination of tones that sounds discordant, thus creating restlessness and a sense of instability

the rate (frequency) of chord changes per measure

a specific combination of two chords that provide moments of rest at the ends of phrases, much like punctuation

9Unit One: The Materials of Music

10 Unit One: The Materials of Music

TextureThe terms below are all related to musical texture. Using the key words and phrases provided, write a definition in the Glossary on page 135 for each of the terms marked with an asterisk (*).

*counterpoint • combinationoftwoormoremelodiclines

*monophonic texture • singlelineofunaccompaniedmelody

*homophonic texture• singlelineofmelodysupportedbyaharmonicaccompaniment

*polyphonic texture • combinationoftwoormoremelodiclines,alsoreferredtoascounterpoint

Additional TermsAn understanding of the terms listed below will also enhance your study of musical compositions:

dynamics• thelevelofvolumeinmusic• traditionallyindicatedwithItaliantermsorsymbols

timbre • tone-color• thequalityofsoundspecifictoavoiceorinstrumentforexample,thesilverysoundof

a celesta, the nasal tone of an oboe

tempo• thespeedatwhichmusicisperformed• traditionallyindicatedwithItalianterms

genre • theclassificationofacompositiontype• includescategoriessuchassonata,symphony,andopera

opus • Latinfor“work”• usuallyabbreviatedop.• indicatestheorderinwhichacomposer’sworkswerepublished

Performing ForcesA musical composition is brought to life through performance. Each voice, or instrument, can be identified by its own unique timbre. Certain combinations of instruments and voices have emerged as favorites. In your exploration of music history you will encounter many of these conventional ensembles, which include choirs, orchestras, and smaller groups.

Voice TypesThe oldest and most natural instrument is the human voice. Voice types are designated according to their range.

Identify the four principal voice types:

High female voice

Low female voice

High male voice

Low male voice


You should also be aware of these additional voice classifications:

baritone: a male voice with a range that straddles the tenor and bass ranges

mezzo-soprano: a female voice with a range that straddles the soprano and alto ranges

coloratura soprano: a high female voice trained to execute rapid passages demanding great agility

One of the most dazzling arias for coloratura soprano is the Revenge Aria (“Der Hölle Rache”) sung by the Queen of the Night in Act II of Mozart’s The Magic Flute (Die Zauberflöte). This role was premiered by Mozart’s sister-in-law Josepha Weber (later Hofer), who requested that her arias allow her to display her high F’s. Explore the many fine performances of this virtuosic aria available on the Internet.

Ex. 1.1 Mozart, “Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen” (“The vengeance of hell boils in my heart”) from Die Zauberflöte, K 620, Act II: mm. 32–47

Keyboard InstrumentsIn your exploration of music history you will encounter several types of keyboard instruments. Familiarize yourself with the unique features and sound of the following instruments by searching online for pictures and recordings.

organ: A keyboard instrument dating back to the Middle Ages often associated with church music. Sound is generated by air passing through pipes or reeds.

harpsichord: A keyboard instrument popular from the late 16th through 18th centuries. Sound is generated by small quills inside the instrument that pluck the strings.

clavichord: A small keyboard instrument popular from the late 16th through 18th centuries. Sound is generated by small metal tangents that strike the strings inside the instrument.

piano: A keyboard instrument invented in the early 18th century. Sound is generated by hammers inside the instrument that strike the strings.

synthesizer: A device (usually played with a keyboard) that generates and modifies sounds electronically. Robert Moog popularized the synthesizer in the 1960s.


Web

questInstrument makers have always taken pride in crafting instruments that were both musically and visually stunning. Today’s leading piano manufacturers have continued this tradition, designing unique and original keyboard instruments. Look on the Internet for pictures of the following: Pegasus and Otmar Alt (Schimmel); Suspension (Seiler); Porsche (Bösendorfer); Karl Lagerfeld (Steinway); Modus (Yamaha)

Orchestral InstrumentsThe orchestra is a large ensemble consisting of many contrasting instruments. The instruments of the orchestra are classified into four families or groups: strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. Strings Woodwinds Brass Percussionviolin piccolo trumpet timpani (kettle drums)viola flute French horn bass drumcello oboe trombone snare drumdouble bass clarinet tuba cymbalsharp bassoon castanets

contrabassoon trianglebass clarinet xylophoneEnglish horn glockenspiel

celestawood blockwhiptambourines

Within each family of instruments, there is diversity and variety not only in size but also in construction. Provide examples of the instruments described below:

single-reed woodwind instruments

double-reed woodwind instruments

pitched percussion instruments

non-pitched percussion instruments

lowest-sounding instrument in the brass family

highest-sounding instrument in the woodwind family

brass instrument with a slide

plucked string instrument with pedals

Chamber Music EnsemblesMusic written for small ensembles with one player per part is referred to as chamber music. This term reflects the intimate settings in which the music was first performed. Historically, chamber music was presented in the salons of patrons who had sponsored the works.


Listed below are four standard chamber music ensembles. Identify the instruments included in each:

string quartet

piano trio

woodwind quintet

brass quintet

Supplemental Activity:

Seating Plan of an OrchestraAlthough the instruments of each family are generally grouped together, the actual arrangement of those families on the concert stage may vary from orchestra to orchestra. In the space provided, draw the seating plan of a standard symphony orchestra.

Conductor

Audience


Web

questWould you recognize the major instruments if you heard them? Do you know what they look like and where they are located in the orchestra? Look on the Internet for pictures and sound clips of instruments and diagrams of orchestra layouts. Use key words and phrases like symphony, orchestra, instrument families, and orchestra layout to define your search.

Recommended Listening:

The Young Person’s Guide to the OrchestraThe noted English composer Benjamin Britten (1913–1976) was commissioned by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) to create a large-scale orchestral work that would introduce young audiences to the instruments of the orchestra. This work is an excellent point of departure for your study of music history because it will help you become familiar with orchestral instruments.

Background InformationGenre: orchestral workDate of composition: 1946Subtitle: Variations and Fugue on a Theme of PurcellSource of main theme: dance tune by English Baroque composer Henry Purcell (1659–1695)Performing forces: symphony orchestra

Listening Guide Listen to a recording or watch a video performance of The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra.

Part One: ThemeEx. 1.2 Britten, The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, 1st mvt: mm. 1–8

Key: D minorTempo: Allegro maestoso e largamenteTime signature:

The principal theme is stated six times, with full orchestra featured in the first and sixth statements. Name the orchestral family featured in each of the remaining sections:

1. full orchestra

2.

3.

4.

5.

6. full orchestra


Part Two: VariationsPart two consists of thirteen short variations, each introducing a different instrument. Identify the solo instrument(s) featured in each variation.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13. various percussion instruments—identify four

Part Three: Fugue

The fugue was a form favored by composers in the Baroque era, most notably Johann Sebastian Bach. The term derives from the Italian word “fugere” meaning “to flee.” A fugue is a complex contrapuntal work dominated by a single theme called the subject. If you are a piano student you may have encountered fugues in your repertoire. You will learn more about the Preludes and Fugues of J.S. Bach in Unit Two.

Ex. 1.3 Britten, The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, 3rd mvt: fugue theme

Key: D majorTempo: Allegro moltoTime signature:

How does the order in which the instruments enter in this fugue resemble the order in which they appear in the thirteen variations?

After all the instruments have entered, which musical themes heard previously does Britten bring together to form the climax and conclusion of this work?

and .


Timeline:

Four Major Style Periods in Music HistoryThe timeline below shows the composers you will study in this workbook. Add titles of compositions you have played and place them in the appropriate era.

Review and ReflectionName four prominent performers of your principal instrument. Search the Internet for information about them. Who is your personal favorite?

Look on the Internet for videos of performances by the world-class artists listed and fill in the information below:

Cecilia Bartoli, mezzo soprano

Title of the piece:

Composer of the piece:

Overall impression:

“The notes I handle no better than many pianists.

But the pauses between the notes—ah, that is where

the art resides.” Artur Schnabel

Baroque

Antonio VivaldiJohann Sebastian BachGeorge Frideric Handel

Franz Joseph HaydnWolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Ludwig van Beethoven

Franz SchubertFrédéric ChopinHector BerliozGeorges Bizet

Giacomo Puccini

My RepertoireMy RepertoireMy Repertoire My Repertoire

Claude DebussyIgor Stravinsky

Leonard BernsteinAlexina Louie

Classical Romantic Modern Era1600 1750 1825 1900 2010


James Ehnes, violin

Title of the piece:


Overall impression:

Lang Lang, piano

Title of the piece:


Overall impression:

Jens Lindemann, trumpet

Title of the piece:


Overall impression:

Yo-Yo Ma, cello

Title of the piece:


Overall impression:

Unit TwoThe Baroque Period

(ca 1600–ca 1750)

The Baroque period was a time of turbulence, contrasts, and change. These qualities are reflected in the art and music of the period. In the study of music history, the dates chosen to define the Baroque era represent major milestones: 1600 coincides with the birth of opera, while 1750 marks the death of J.S. Bach. In between, many new forms, genres, and textures emerged, and new instruments were developed. The crystallization of the major–minor system provided the harmonic backbone of Baroque style. Additionally, instrumental music began to stand shoulder to shoulder with vocal music.

Patronage of the arts was an essential factor in shaping the lives and careers of composers in the 18th century. Throughout history, artists and musicians relied on the generous support of patrons from different segments of society: the aristocracy, the church, and the state. In exchange for their services, artists were often provided not only with monetary compensation, but also with security, lodging, and opportunities to develop artistically.

Web

questBe a virtual tourist and visit some of the great buildings of the Baroque era. Search online for: Château de Versailles, Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, and Bernini’s altar at Santa Maria Vittoria. In these icons of Baroque architecture and design, notice the ornate decoration and grandiose opulence. These are characteristic features of Baroque architectural style.

Building a Musical VocabularyThe terms listed below are all related to Baroque music.

Using the key words and phrases provided, write a definition in the Glossary on page 135 for each of the terms marked with an asterisk (*).

*Baroque• fromthePortuguesebarroco meaning irregularly shaped or misshapen pearl• firstusedasaderogatoryterminreferencetotheoverlyornateartoftheera• nowappliedtoart,architecture,andmusicofthe17thandearly18thcenturies

major–minor tonality• musicbasedonmajor(Ionian)andminor(Aeolian)scales• graduallyreplacedthemodallanguagethathadbeenfavoreduptothistime• servesasthefoundationformusicalcomposition

*figured bass• atypeofmusicalshorthanddevelopedintheBaroqueera• numbersareplacedbelowthebasslinetoshowharmonicprogression• performedor“realized”bythebasso continuo • providesthestructureforguidedimprovisation

18

*basso continuo • Baroqueperformancepractice• generallyinvolvestwoperformers—oneplayingthenotatedbassline,onerealizing

the harmonies as indicated by the figured bass• harmoniesusuallyplayedonharpsichordororgan• providesharmonicframework

*equal temperament• methodoftuningkeyboardinstruments• allsemitoneswithintheoctavearedividedequally;createdenharmonicequivalents

(C sharp/D flat)• allowedmusictobeperformed“intune”inallkeys

*homophonic texture (see Glossary)

*polyphonic texture (see Glossary)

*terraced dynamics• Baroquepracticeofchangingdynamicsabruptly• resultsinstarkcontrastratherthangradualchange

*the “Affections” • aBaroquephilosophyinspiredbyancientGreekandRomanwritersandorators• referstoemotionalstatesofthesoul• inBaroquemusic,asingle“affection”(oneclearemotion)isusuallyprojectedthrough

an entire composition or movement• vocalmusicdepictedtheemotionsofthetextordramaticsituation• wasareactionagainstthecomplexpolyphonyofRenaissancemusic• alsoreferredtoasthe“DoctrineofAffections”

*word painting• musicalpictorialization• musicmirrorstheliteralmeaningofthewords• achievedthroughmelody,rhythm,orharmony

idiomatic writing• theuniquetechnicalcapabilitiesofaninstrumentarehighlighted• oppositeof“generic”• developedinBaroqueperiod

*binary form• two-partform(AB)• SectionAgenerallyendswithopencadence• frequentlyusedinBaroquedancesandkeyboardpieces

*ternary form• three-partform(ABA)• SectionBgenerallycreatescontrastinkeyand/ormaterial• oftenusedinBaroquearias

Listening for Elements of Baroque StyleChoose two of the following pieces. Listen to a recording or watch a video performance and identify the stylistic features present in each piece by checking the appropriate box below. 1. Canon in D Major, by Johann Pachelbel 2. Harmonious Blacksmith from Suite No. 5 in E Major, HWV 430, by George Frideric

Handel

19Unit Two: The Baroque Period (ca 1600–ca 1750)

20 Unit Two: The Baroque Period (ca 1600–ca 1750)

3. Concerto for Two Violins and Orchestra in D Minor, BWV 1043, by Johann Sebastian Bach

4. “Let the Bright Seraphim” from Samson, HWV 57, by George Frideric Handel

Selection no. 1

Title:

Musical Feature Yes No Comment

basso continuo

major–minor tonality

counterpoint

idiomatic writing

improvisation

virtuosity

ornamentation

terraced dynamics

motoric (driving) rhythm

dance rhythms

word painting

Selection no. 2

Title:


basso continuo

major–minor tonality

counterpoint

idiomatic writing

improvisation

virtuosity

ornamentation

terraced dynamics

motoric (driving) rhythm

dance rhythms

word painting


Vivaldi and The Four SeasonsSome pieces of music are instantly recognizable, and The Four Seasons is certainly one of them. Among the thousands of concertos written in the Baroque period, and the hundreds written by Vivaldi himself, this work has earned a special place in the repertoire. It is one of the most widely recorded Baroque musical compositions.

The Musical Style and Contributions of Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741)Vivaldi was an Italian violinist, conductor, and highly prolific composer. A colorful figure in the musical life of Venice, Vivaldi was also an ordained Catholic priest. Because of his red hair, he was nicknamed “il prete rosso” (the red priest). Although he regarded himself primarily as a composer of opera, his fame today rests largely on his contributions to Baroque concerto repertoire. Vivaldi’s brilliant, idiomatic writing for strings advanced the art of performance to new heights of virtuosity.

Musical Style• contributedtothedevelopmentofthethree-movementconcertostructure• leaderinestablishingritornello form • developedidiomaticwritingforstrings• exploitedstringvirtuositythroughtechnicallydemandingwriting,includingrapid

passagework, string crossings, arpeggio figurations, double stops• incorporatedprogrammaticwriting,descriptivetitles• frequentuseofsequences• fondofasymmetricalphraselengths

Vivaldi’s career unfolded against a backdrop of fine instrument makers, or luthiers, most notably in the town of Cremona in Italy. Master builders included members of the Amati and Guarneri families, and Antonio Stradivari. Vivaldi composed hundreds of concertos to showcase these new instruments. Experts still speculate on how the craftsmanship, design, wood, secret formulas for varnish, and even the climate of the time combined to create their remarkable sound. Today these fine instruments sell for millions of dollars at auction. Renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma once left his multi-million dollar 1733 Stradivarius cello in the trunk of a New York City cab. Fortunately the instrument and owner were reunited!

Genres and Titles• concertos:over400,bothconcertogrossoandsoloconcerto;mostlyforviolin,but

also for bassoon, oboe, flute, recorder, viola, cello, and mandolin• operas:over40,includingOrlando Furioso, Griselda• sacredworks:oratorios,includingJuditha Triumphans; motets and Gloria

For close to forty years, Vivaldi served as violin master and choirmaster at the Conservatorio Ospedale della Pietà in Venice, Italy. This charitable institution for disadvantaged girls offered exceptional musical training. The school’s performances served as an integral part of musical life in Venice and were held in the highest regard throughout Europe. There are several eye-witness accounts of these performances, including this one by Charles de Brosses, from his Lettres familières d’Italie: “. . . there is nothing as pleasant than to see a pretty young nun wearing a white habit, with a bouquet of gardenias tucked behind her ear, playing and beating time with consummate grace . . .”

“Vivaldi played a solo accompaniment excellently,

and at the conclusion he added a free fantasy which absolutely astounded me, for it is hardly possible that anyone has ever

played, or ever will play in such a fashion.”

Friedrich Armand von Uffenbach, 1713


Building a Musical Vocabulary The terms listed below are Baroque style features often associated with Vivaldi’s music.


*ritornello form• astructureemployedinthefirstandthirdmovementsoftheBaroqueconcerto• theopeningpassage(ritornello) is re-stated throughout the movement

*ripieno • Italianfor“full”or“complete”• atermusedtodenotetheuseofthefullorchestraintheBaroqueconcerto

*ostinato• Italianfor“obstinate”or“persistent”• arhythmicormelodicpatternrepeatedforanextendedperiod

*drone• asustainedbassnotethatprovidesarudimentaryharmonicfoundation• commoninfolkmusic

programmatic writing• musicwithadescriptiveelement,inspiredbyextra-musicalassociations,likeastory

or painting • evolvedintoasignificantfeatureof19th-centuryinstrumentalwriting(program

music)

*solo concerto• popularinstrumentalgenreoftheBaroqueeraforsoloistandorchestra• generallyinthreemovements:fast–slow–fast• frequentlyemployedritornello form• intendedtoshowcasethevirtuosityofthesoloist

Required Listening:

“La Primavera” (“Spring”) from Le Quattro Stagioni (The Four Seasons), op. 8, no. 1This virtuosic concerto is a vivid example of Vivaldi’s idiomatic writing for strings, especially in the solo violin part. It is considered a programmatic work because poetic images are depicted graphically in the music.

Using the related terms, background information, and listening guide that follow, write your own description of “Spring” from The Four Seasons.

Background InformationGenre: solo violin concerto Date of composition: 1725 Subtitle of collection: Il cimento dell’armonia e dell’invenzione (The Contest between

Harmony and Inspiration) Source of inspiration (program): sonnets, most likely written by Vivaldi, describing the

four seasons of the year; portions of the text were printed above the corresponding passages in the original score

Performing forces: solo violin, strings, and continuo

Listening GuideListen to a recording or watch a video performance of “Spring” from The Four Seasons. If possible, follow a score while you listen.


First MovementKey: E majorTempo: AllegroTime signature: c Form: ritornello form

Poetic text associated with this movement: Spring has arrived. The birds celebrate with festive song; murmuring streams are caressed

by gentle breezes. Storm clouds darken the sky, bringing thunder and lightning. After the storm, the birds resume their joyful singing.

Ex. 2.1 Vivaldi, The Four Seasons, op. 8, no. 1, 1st mvt: ritornello theme: mm. 1–13

Poetic image: Spring has arrived.Musical depiction: spirited rhythmic figures, bright character, celebratory dance-like

quality

Ex. 2.2 Vivaldi, The Four Seasons, op. 8, no. 1, 1st mvt: mm. 13–15

Poetic image: The birds celebrate with festive song.Musical depiction: high-pitched trills, repeated-note figures


Musical depiction: The solo violin’s langorous melody depicts the sleeping goatherd. The violin’s dotted-note figure in parallel thirds suggests the rustling leaves and the viola ostinato represents the barking dog.

Vivaldi was a skilled opera composer. How is that evident in this movement?

Third MovementKey: E majorTempo: AllegroTime signature: Form: ritornello formPoetic text associated with this movement: Nymphs and shepherds dance gaily to the

festive sound of rustic bagpipes as they welcome Spring.

Ex. 2.6 Vivaldi, The Four Seasons, op. 8, no. 1, 3rd mvt: mm. 1–3

Musical depiction: The bass notes suggest the drone of bagpipes, while the lilting compound meter creates a dance-like character.

What rustic elements are suggested in this movement?

The chart below summarizes the musical features of the three movements:

Musical Feature First Movement Second Movement Third MovementTempo Allegro Largo AllegroKey E major C sharp minor E majorTime signature c

Form ritornello form two-part structure ritornello formInstruments string orchestra and solo violin reduced orchestration

(no cello or continuo)string orchestra and solo violin

Poetic images joyful spring, birds singing, murmur of breeze, thunder and lightning

sleeping goatherd with faithful dog barking at his side

nymphs and shepherds dancing to the sound of bagpipes

Web

quest


Poetic image: Murmuring streams are caressed by gentle breezes.Musical depiction: violins play a rapid, undulating figure


Poetic image: Storm clouds darken the sky, bringing thunder and lightning.Musical depiction: tremolando passages (quick repetition of notes) played by the violins

evoke thunder; rising thirty-second note scales suggest lightning

Describe the technical challenges presented in the solo violin part:

Second MovementKey: C sharp minorTempo: LargoTime signature:

Poetic text associated with this movement: The goatherd sleeps in a flowery meadow with his faithful dog beside him. The leaves rustle gently.

Ex. 2.5 Vivaldi, The Four Seasons, op. 8, no. 1, 2nd mvt: mm. 1–3


Musical depiction: The solo violin’s langorous melody depicts the sleeping goatherd. The violin’s dotted-note figure in parallel thirds suggests the rustling leaves and the viola ostinato represents the barking dog.

Vivaldi was a skilled opera composer. How is that evident in this movement?

Third MovementKey: E majorTempo: AllegroTime signature: Form: ritornello formPoetic text associated with this movement: Nymphs and shepherds dance gaily to the

festive sound of rustic bagpipes as they welcome Spring.

Ex. 2.6 Vivaldi, The Four Seasons, op. 8, no. 1, 3rd mvt: mm. 1–3

Musical depiction: The bass notes suggest the drone of bagpipes, while the lilting compound meter creates a dance-like character.

What rustic elements are suggested in this movement?

The chart below summarizes the musical features of the three movements:

Musical Feature First Movement Second Movement Third MovementTempo Allegro Largo AllegroKey E major C sharp minor E majorTime signature c

Form ritornello form two-part structure ritornello formInstruments string orchestra and solo violin reduced orchestration

(no cello or continuo)string orchestra and solo violin

Poetic images joyful spring, birds singing, murmur of breeze, thunder and lightning

sleeping goatherd with faithful dog barking at his side

nymphs and shepherds dancing to the sound of bagpipes

Web

questThere is a great diversity in the available interpretations and transcriptions of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. We recommend you watch a video of English violinist Nigel Kennedy, who has a highly individual approach to this work. Look also for an interview in which Kennedy shares his perspectives on Vivaldi and classical music in general.


Recommended Listening for:

VivaldiThe Four Seasons, op. 8To fully appreciate Vivaldi’s descriptive writing, listen to the other three concertos that complete The Four Seasons (“Summer,” “Autumn,” “Winter”). Follow translations of the texts if possible.

“Agitate da due venti” from GriseldaIn his lifetime, Vivaldi was best known as a composer of operas. This aria demonstrates the extreme virtuosity demanded of the singer and the artistry required in executing the astonishingly difficult passagework. You can find a stunning performance of this aria online performed by Cecilia Bartoli. Take note of how she captivates the live audience with her passionate performance and her dazzling embellishment of the da capo (return of the opening section).

Bach and The Well-Tempered Clavier The Bach family provided generations of musicians to Northern Germany, but the best-known and most-respected family member was Johann Sebastian. His music represents the ultimate in Baroque craftsmanship and the culmination of hundreds of years of polyphonic writing. He passed on this legacy to his own children, several of whom had successful musical careers. Although Bach did not invent any new genres, he perfected the existing forms of his day while absorbing international influences.

The Life and Music of Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)Use the outline below to write an account of the life and music of J.S. Bach.

Family Background and Education• borninEisenach,Germany• musicwasthefamilyprofessionforfivegenerations;fatherwasacourttrumpeter• orphanedatageten;musicaltrainingcontinuedbyoldestbrother,JohannChristoph• academicstudiesincludedLatin,Greek,theology• sanginchoirs,becameaccomplishedviolinistandvirtuosoorganist• trainedininstrumentbuildingandrepair Life and Musical Career Early Career: Arnstadt, Mülhausen (1703–1708)• heldvariouspositions:courtviolinist,chambermusician,andorganist• grantedleavefromhispositionatArnstadttomeetfamousorganistDietrich

Buxtehude in Lübeck; walked over 200 miles each way. Totally inspired, he stayed an extra three months without authorization.

The meeting in Lübeck went so well that Bach was offered the position held by Buxtehude—quite a feather in the cap of a young twenty-year-old! Bach declined the offer when he learned that it came with strings attached—marriage to Buxtehude’s aging daughter! Two other prominent composers, George Frideric Handel and Johann Mattheson, declined the same offer.

“The aim and final end of all music should be none other

than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.”

J.S. Bach

1705


• marriedMariaBarbaraBach(distantcousin)shortlyafterarrivinginMülhausen;twoof their children, Carl Philipp Emanuel and Wilhelm Friedemann, became successful musicians

Weimar (1708–1717)• courtorganistandchambermusiciantotheDukeofWeimar• enjoyedincreasingfameasanorganistinthisperiod—composedmanyorganworks• composedmusicforLutheranchurchservices—cantatas,choralesettings• acceptedasalaryadvanceforanewpositionatCöthen;thisangeredtheDukeof

Weimar, which resulted in a month in jail

Cöthen (1717–1723)• KapellmeistertoPrinceLeopoldofCöthen,avidsupporterofthearts• Calvinistviewsofthecourtinfluencedmusicalactivities:nomusicperformedin

churches • manysoloandchamberworkscomposedduringthisperiod—suites,concertos,

sonatas, solo keyboard works, including The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book One• suddendeathofMariaBarbara• marriedAnnaMagdalenaWilcke,acourtsinger;theirsons,JohannChristianand

Johann Christoph, became successful musicians

Bach’s patrons represented an eclectic mix of supporters, from royalty to the town council of Leipzig. The changing demands of his posts came with specific requirements, which is reflected in his compositional output. Bach constantly had to balance his own creative inspiration with the needs and expectations of his employers, which often lead to frustration and conflict.

Leipzig (1723–1750) • appointedCantorofSt.ThomasSchool• manyresponsibilities:teaching,composing,directingchoirs,andsupervisingmusical

activities in several churches• becamedirectorofCollegiumMusicum,aperformingensembleforuniversity

students• importantlarge-scaleworkswritteninthisperiod: Goldberg Variations, Art of

Fugue• frequentlytraveledtotestnewkeyboardinstruments• visitedFredericktheGreatatPotsdam,wheresonCarlPhilippEmanuelwas

employed; wrote a contrapuntal work based on a theme provided by the king (The Musical Offering)

• diedJuly28;likelycausewasastroke

Musical Style and Contributions• hismusicrepresentsahighpointinover100yearsofBaroquemusicalpractice• personalstylesynthesizedtheleadingmusicaldevelopmentsofthisera• composedworksinvirtuallyeverygenreofhisday,exceptopera• personalfaithwasasourceofinspirationforhiscreativework;asadevoutLutheran,

Bach dedicated all his works “To the Glory of God” • greatmasterofthecontrapuntalart,asdemonstratedinthefuguesofThe Well-

Tempered Clavier• absorbedinfluencesofinternationalstyles—German(Lutheranchoraletradition,

counterpoint); French (dance rhythms, ornamentation); Italian (operatic lyricism, ritornello form, idiomatic string writing)

• virtuosoorganist,asreflectedinhisorganandkeyboardworks.• heperfectedexistingformsratherthandefiningnewones

1707

1717

17201721

“Since the best man could not be obtained, mediocre ones would

have to be accepted.” Leipzig mayor Abraham Platz,

1723, commenting on appointing Bach as the Cantor of St. Thomas School, Leipzig, when Christoph

Graupner refused the post.

1729

1747

1750


augmentation• thematicmaterialpresentedinlongertimevalues

*stretto• fromtheItalianstringere, meaning “to tighten”• overlappingsubjectentriesinclosesuccession

inversion• thematicmaterialpresented“upsidedown”

diminution• thematicmaterialpresentedinshortertimevalues

*pedal point• asustainednoteoverwhichharmonieschange

*tierce de Picardie• aworkinaminorkeyendsinthetonicmajor(raised3rd)• acommonmannerisminBaroquemusic


Identifying Fugal AnswersIn the musical excerpts below, identify each of the answers as real or tonal:

Ex. 2.7 Bach, The Well-Tempered Clavier, book 1, no. 6, Fugue in D Minor, BWV 851Subject Real Answer Tonal Answer

Ex. 2.8 Bach, The Well-Tempered Clavier, book 1, no. 2, Fugue in C Minor, BWV 847Subject Real Answer Tonal Answer

Ex. 2.9 Bach, The Well-Tempered Clavier, book 1, no. 5, Fugue in D Major, BWV 850Subject Real Answer Tonal Answer

Ex. 2.10 Bach, The Well-Tempered Clavier, book 1, no. 16, Fugue in G Minor, BWV 861Subject Real Answer Tonal Answer

Genres and Titles• keyboardworks:collectionsforstudents(Notebook for Anna Magdalena and

Notebook for Wilhelm Friedemann); two-part inventions; three-part inventions (otherwise known as sinfonias); The Well-Tempered Clavier; toccatas, 6 French suites, 6 English suites, Italian Concerto, Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue

• organ:choralepreludes,toccatas,passacaglias,fugues• chambermusic:sixunaccompaniedsuitesforcello;sixunaccompaniedsonatasand

partitas for violin; sonatas for flute, viola da gamba, violin, and harpsichord • orchestralworks:sixBrandenburg Concertos, four orchestral suites, violin concertos,

harpsichord concertos• vocalworks:approximately200cantatas,passions(St. Matthew Passion, St. John

Passion, Mass in B Minor)

The Notebook for Anna Magdalena—which includes pieces by Bach and his contemporaries—was compiled to help Anna upgrade her keyboard skills so she could better supervise the musical studies of the Bach children. It includes some of the most beloved keyboard menuets of the era, which have become classics in the repertoire of piano students.

Building a Musical VocabularyThe terms below are all related to the style of writing found in Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier.


*prelude• ashortkeyboardworkinimprovisatorystyle• oftenpairedwithafugue *fugue • ahighlystructured,imitativecontrapuntalcomposition• asinglethemeorsubjectprevails

*subject• theinitialstatementofthemainthemeofafugue• inthetonickey

*answer• thesecondstatementofthemainthemeinafugue• usuallyinthedominantkey

*real answer• anexacttranspositionofthesubject

*tonal answer• astatementofthesubjectinwhichoneormoreintervalsisadjustedtoaccommodate

the harmony

*countersubject• arecurringcounter-melody• accompaniesentriesofthesubjectandanswer

*episode• apassagewithinafugueinwhichneithersubjectnoranswerispresent• frequentlysequential

“He possessed the most profound knowledge of all the contrapuntal arts, understood how to make art

subservient to beauty.” C.P.E. Bach, on his father’s music


augmentation• thematicmaterialpresentedinlongertimevalues

*stretto• fromtheItalianstringere, meaning “to tighten”• overlappingsubjectentriesinclosesuccession

inversion• thematicmaterialpresented“upsidedown”

diminution• thematicmaterialpresentedinshortertimevalues

*pedal point• asustainednoteoverwhichharmonieschange

*tierce de Picardie• aworkinaminorkeyendsinthetonicmajor(raised3rd)• acommonmannerisminBaroquemusic


Identifying Fugal AnswersIn the musical excerpts below, identify each of the answers as real or tonal:

Ex. 2.7 Bach, The Well-Tempered Clavier, book 1, no. 6, Fugue in D Minor, BWV 851Subject Real Answer Tonal Answer

Ex. 2.8 Bach, The Well-Tempered Clavier, book 1, no. 2, Fugue in C Minor, BWV 847Subject Real Answer Tonal Answer

Ex. 2.9 Bach, The Well-Tempered Clavier, book 1, no. 5, Fugue in D Major, BWV 850Subject Real Answer Tonal Answer

Ex. 2.10 Bach, The Well-Tempered Clavier, book 1, no. 16, Fugue in G Minor, BWV 861Subject Real Answer Tonal Answer


Required Listening:

The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book One, Prelude and Fugue No. 21 in B flat MajorThe Well-Tempered Clavier demonstrates a craftsmanship bordering on wizardry. Bach employed a vast array of contrapuntal devices and approaches throughout both volumes, and there is great variety from one piece to the next. This work is an enduring and monumental contribution to keyboard literature.

Using the related terms, background information, and listening guide that follow, write your own description of Prelude and Fugue No. 21 in B flat Major from The Well Tempered Clavier, Book One.

Background InformationGenre: keyboard music—preludes and fuguesDate of composition: Book 1—1722, Book 2—1742Significance of title: “Well-tempered” refers to the newly invented tuning system for

keyboard instruments that allows for pieces to be written in any key. “Clavier” is the German word for any keyboard instrument other than organ.

Structure: two books. Each book contains twenty-four preludes and fugues, which are organized in pairs of tonic major and minor keys. Both books begin with preludes and fugues in C major and C minor then move up chromatically by semitone, ending with B major and B minor.

Listening GuideListen to a recording of Prelude and Fugue No. 21 in B flat Major, book 1. If possible, follow a score while you listen.

PreludeKey: B flat majorTempo: no specific indication on score; style implies a quick tempo, in the manner

of a toccata (a very fast keyboard work demonstrating a virtuosic, improvisatory character)

Time signature: c

Texture: homophonic and polyphonicStructure: binary (AB) form

Section AEx. 2.11 Bach, Prelude in B flat Major: mm. 1–2

• brokenchordpassagesplayedinbreathlessthirty-secondnotesandtreatedsequentially

• markedbyfrequentthirty-secondnoteruns• SectionAendsinFmajor(dominantkey)andproceedsimmediatelytothenext

section


Section BEx. 2.12 Bach, Prelude in B flat Major: mm. 11–13

• continuesthetoccata-like style with the use of rapid cadenza-like runs that emerge from arpeggiated seventh chords

• virtuosityishighlightedthroughout• theimprovisatorystylestandsinmarkedcontrasttothecontrolledorder

demonstrated in the fugue that follows

Describe the predominant “affection” of this prelude in your own words:

Describe the technical challenges for the performer:

FugueKey: B flat majorTempo: (moderately) fast; Bach gave no tempo indications anywhere in the scoreTime signature: Texture: polyphonicNumber of voices: threeType of answer: tonalCountersubject: there are two countersubjects that are heard simultaneously throughout

the fugue; they act as accompanying figures to the statements of the subject or answer

Fugal Exposition

Ex. 2.13 Bach, Fugue in B flat Major: mm. 1–5

• subjectinBflatmajorpresentedintopvoice(unusuallylong)• comprisedoftwomotives:thefirstismostlydisjunct,outliningthetonic–dominant

seventh harmony, while the second is conjunct, outlining the same harmonies



BachCantata no. 140, “Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme,” BWV 140, first movementFor a taste of Bach’s superb choral writing, listen to the first movement of this cantata. You may recognize the chorale melody Sleepers Awake upon which it is based. Enjoy the glorious, majestic sound of voices blending with instruments in elaborate contrapuntal textures.

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565 This dazzling, virtuosic organ toccata is among Bach’s best–known works. It has been featured in several movies, including Walt Disney’s Fantasia. The Toccata’s dramatic opening gesture captures the listener’s attention from the first notes! Listen for the effect of the diminished seventh chord built over the tonic pedal, which captures the essence of Baroque pageantry and flair.

Ex. 2.16 Bach, Toccata in D Minor, BWV 565: mm. 1–3

Bach Works in Celebration Series Perspectives©:Musette in D Major, BWV Anh. 126 (Piano Repertoire 3—attr. J.S. Bach)Minuet in D Minor, BWV Anh. 132 (Piano Repertoire 4—attr. J.S. Bach)Allemande in G Minor, BWV 836 (Piano Repertoire 5)Little Prelude in C Major, BWV 939 (Piano Repertoire 5)Little Prelude in E Minor, BWV 941 (Piano Repertoire 6)Invention No. 1 in C Major, BWV 772 (Piano Repertoire 7)Invention No. 13 in A Minor, BWV 784 (Piano Repertoire 8)Little Prelude in D Major, BWV 925 (Piano Repertoire 8)Prelude and Fugue in C Minor, BWV 847 (Piano Repertoire 9)Sinfonia No. 6 in E Major, BWV 792 (Piano Repertoire 9)Sinfonia No. 7 in E Minor, BWV 793 (Piano Repertoire 9)Fantasia in C Minor, BWV 906 (Piano Repertoire 10)French Suite No. 5, BWV 816: Allemande and Gigue (Piano Repertoire 10)Prelude and Fugue in E flat Major, BWV 876 (Piano Repertoire 10)


• tonalanswerinmiddlevoice(Fmajor)


• countersubject 2 in top voice • subject in bass voice

Middle SectionIn the middle section the following events take place: • thefirstepisodeleadstoGminor• thesubjectappearsinGminorfollowedbyatonalanswerinCminor• thesecondepisodeleadstoEflatmajorandapartial(two-measure)entryofthetonal

answer in that key• acompleteentryofthesubjectinEflatmajor

Final Section• the final section concludes with a tonal answer reaffirming the home key of B flat major• thefinalfourmeasuresactasacodabringingthefuguetoastrongclose Describe the predominant “affection” of this fugue in your own words:

Describe the technical challenges for the performer:

When a composer’s dates read “1807–1742” we sit up and take notice! The infamous “lost son of Bach,” otherwise known as P.D.Q. Bach, sprang from the extravagant imagination of American musicologist Peter Schickele. An entire industry has been built around the life and work of this fictitious composer who pokes fun at classical music traditions. On the recording entitled P.D.Q. Bach: The Short-Tempered Clavier and Other Dysfunctional Works for Keyboard, Schickele included Preludes and Fugues in all the major and minor keys “except for the really hard ones.” The subject of the first fugue is actually a melody you may recognize as “Chopsticks.” You may enjoy a visit to the P.D.Q. Bach website!



BachCantata no. 140, “Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme,” BWV 140, first movementFor a taste of Bach’s superb choral writing, listen to the first movement of this cantata. You may recognize the chorale melody Sleepers Awake upon which it is based. Enjoy the glorious, majestic sound of voices blending with instruments in elaborate contrapuntal textures.

Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 565 This dazzling, virtuosic organ toccata is among Bach’s best–known works. It has been featured in several movies, including Walt Disney’s Fantasia. The Toccata’s dramatic opening gesture captures the listener’s attention from the first notes! Listen for the effect of the diminished seventh chord built over the tonic pedal, which captures the essence of Baroque pageantry and flair.

Ex. 2.16 Bach, Toccata in D Minor, BWV 565: mm. 1–3

Bach Works in Celebration Series Perspectives©:Musette in D Major, BWV Anh. 126 (Piano Repertoire 3—attr. J.S. Bach)Minuet in D Minor, BWV Anh. 132 (Piano Repertoire 4—attr. J.S. Bach)Allemande in G Minor, BWV 836 (Piano Repertoire 5)Little Prelude in C Major, BWV 939 (Piano Repertoire 5)Little Prelude in E Minor, BWV 941 (Piano Repertoire 6)Invention No. 1 in C Major, BWV 772 (Piano Repertoire 7)Invention No. 13 in A Minor, BWV 784 (Piano Repertoire 8)Little Prelude in D Major, BWV 925 (Piano Repertoire 8)Prelude and Fugue in C Minor, BWV 847 (Piano Repertoire 9)Sinfonia No. 6 in E Major, BWV 792 (Piano Repertoire 9)Sinfonia No. 7 in E Minor, BWV 793 (Piano Repertoire 9)Fantasia in C Minor, BWV 906 (Piano Repertoire 10)French Suite No. 5, BWV 816: Allemande and Gigue (Piano Repertoire 10)Prelude and Fugue in E flat Major, BWV 876 (Piano Repertoire 10)



Dueling Keyboards—Authentic versus ModernListen to two or more interpretations of Prelude and Fugue No. 21 in B flat Major from The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book One. Choose one performance on harpsichord and one on piano.

Recording 1

Artist

Instrument

Your comments

Recording 2

Artist

Instrument

Your comments

Which recording did you prefer, and why?

Although Bach and Handel, the two most celebrated composers of the Baroque era, never met, they were both treated for failing eyesight by John Taylor, a doctor with an unsavory reputation. In 1749, Taylor operated on Bach twice, which left the aging composer in total blindness. Bach’s health began to fail and he died within the year. In 1751, Handel submitted to Taylor’s knife. He too emerged from the surgery with no improvement to his vision.


Handel and MessiahHandel’s life and career exemplify the cosmopolitan spirit of the Baroque period. A virtuoso organist and violinist, an esteemed conductor, and a versatile composer, he absorbed aspects of German, Italian, French, and English styles. This international awareness led him to Italian opera, which for a time was the central focus of his creative work. Even as he moved on to explore other genres, Handel’s operatic style remained intrinsic to his music.

The Life and Music of George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)Use the outline below to write an account of the life and music of Handel.

Family Background and Education• borninHalle,Germany• fatherwasaprosperousbarber-surgeon;discouragedson’smusicalpursuits• studiedlawatUniversityofHalle• pursuedmusicprofessionallyafterhisfather’sdeath

Life and Musical CareerHamburg (1703–1706)• workedasaviolinistandharpsichordistinoperaorchestra• composedearliestoperas:Almira and Nero

Italy (1706–1710)• workedforPrinceFerdinanddeMedici,PrinceFrancescoMariaRuspoliandothers• absorbedaspectsofItalianmusicalstyleandlanguage;evidentinoperas,oratorios,

concertos • visitedmajorcities—Florence,Rome,Naples,Venice—musicalworksperformedthere

Hanover (1710–1712)• appointedKapellmeister(musicdirector)toGeorgeLudwig,ElectorofHanover

(future King George I)• electorallowedhimtotraveltoLondon;visitedtheretwice,eventuallystayed

London (1712–1759)• annualsalaryawardedbyQueenAnne,thefirstofmanyroyalcommissionsand

patronage appointments• deathofQueenAnne;ElectorofHanover(Handel’sformerpatron)proclaimedKing

George I• otherinfluentialpatronsincludedEarlofBurlington,DukeofChandos• co-foundedTheRoyalAcademyofMusictopromoteItalianoperainLondon• composed,directed,andproducedmanyLondonproductions,includingGiulio

Cesare, Tamerlano, Rodelinda, Alcina, and Serse• workedwithleadingsingersofthedayincludingFaustinaBordoniandFrancesca

Cuzzoni• deathofKingGeorgeI;Handelcommissionedtowritemusicforthecoronationof

King George II • becameBritishsubject• premiereofJohnGay’sEnglish-languageballadopera The Beggar’s Opera a

phenomenal success—sixty-two performances in first run• publicgrewtiredofItalianopera;Handelwasunsureofhisfuture

“To him I bend the knee, for Handel is the greatest composer that ever lived.

I can still learn from him.” Ludwig van Beethoven

1714

1719

1727

1728


• continuedwritingoperasbutalsoturnedtoothergenres:oratorio,concerto,concertogrosso

• Messiah premiered at benefit concert in Dublin, Ireland; great success• eventuallystoppedwritingoperas;becameverysuccessfulwritingoratorioswhich

were far less costly to produce, oratorios in the English language, which were more appealing to middle-class audiences

• retiredfrompublicperformanceduetofailingeyesight• remainedunmarried;gavegenerouslytocharityinlateryears• continuedtocomposeinfinalyears,evenwhenblind• diedApril14,famousandwealthy;interredatWestminsterAbbey

Patronage of the arts sometimes proved to be a slippery slope, as demonstrated by Handel’s relationship with Prince George Ludwig, Elector of Hanover. During his first visit to London Handel was welcomed by Queen Anne of England, who offered him a generous pension, enticing him to turn his back on an earlier commitment to the Elector. No one could have predicted that Queen Anne would die without an heir and that George Ludwig of Hanover would become King George I of England. Any hard feelings between Handel and his former patron were obviously put to rest; Handel continued to benefit from royal patronage throughout his career.

Musical Style• cosmopolitanstyle;absorbedinternationalcurrentsoftheday:Germancounterpoint,

Italian opera, French overture• alternationofhomorhythmicpassages(homophonic)withcontrapuntaltextures

(polyphonic)• useofverybasicelements(chordalpassages,scalefigures)makeshisstyleaccessible

and appealing• conveysasenseofpageantryanddramatictheatricalstylethroughgrandiosegestures

such as full SATB choral sound, bold contrasts of dynamics • effectiveuseofwordpainting• extendedsequentialwriting

Genres and Titles• operas:Rinaldo, Giulio Cesare, Serses, Orlando• oratorios:Messiah, Judas Maccabeus, Israel in Egypt• sacredvocalworks:Ode for Saint Cecilia, Te Deum• keyboardworksfororganandharpsichord• orchestralworks:suites(Water Music, Music for the Royal Fireworks) Concerti

Grosso, organ concertos• chambermusic:triosonatas

What do you get when you cross a high-strung soprano with an ambitious mezzo soprano? Well, on the night of June 6th, 1727, it was the cat fight to end all cat fights. Tensions were already riding high that evening in the King’s Haymarket Theatre, between the fans of rival singers Francesca Cuzzoni (soprano) and Faustina Bordoni (mezzo soprano). Opera audiences of that time were not unlike sports fans of today, cheering on their favorites while booing their challengers. Apparently jealousy between the divas caused the singers themselves to brawl on stage! They pulled at each other’s wigs and shouted obscenities that might have made at least one audience member, Caroline, the Princess of Wales, blush! Their actions came back to haunt them. One year later, their fight was satirized by John Gay in his immensely popular The Beggar’s Opera.

1742

1753


Building a Musical VocabularyThe terms below are associated with Baroque opera and oratorio. Using the key words and phrases provided, write a definition in the Glossary on page 135 for each of the terms marked with an asterisk (*).

*oratorio• alarge-scaleworkforsoloists,chorus,andorchestra• serioussubject,generallybasedonbiblicaltexts• consistsofrecitatives,arias,ensembles,andchoruses• developedintheBaroqueera

*French overture• aBaroqueorchestralgenre• first developed at court of Louis XIV by Jean-Baptiste Lully• generally in two parts• firstpart—slowtempo,homophonictexture,featuresdottedfigures• secondpart—fasttempo,imitativetexture

recitative• aspeech-likestyleofsingingusedinoperas,oratorios,cantatas• followsinflectionsofthetext,resultinginrhythmicflexibility• usuallyusedtoadvancetheplotorstoryline;movesthroughtextquickly

*recitativo secco• Italianfor“dryrecitative”• aspeech-like,declamatorystyleofsinging• supportedonlybycontinuo• employedinopera,oratorio,andcantata

*recitativo accompagnato• Italianfor“accompaniedrecitative”• aspeech-like,declamatorystyleofsinging• supportedbyinstrumentalensembleororchestra• allowsforgreaterconnectionwiththetext• employedinopera,oratorio,andcantata *da capo aria• themostcommonsongtypeinBaroqueoperaandoratorio• three-partstructure(ternaryform):ABA• inperformancethereturnofSectionAisgenerallyornamented

*melisma• agroupofnotessungonasinglesyllable/vowel• demonstratesvocalvirtuosityandoftenservestohighlightkeywords

*libretto• thetextofanopera,oratorio,orcantata• usuallywrittenbysomeoneotherthanthecomposer

*homorhythmic texture• allvoicessingthesamerhythm• resultsinablockedchordaltexture(homophonic)• deliversthetextwithclarityandemphasis


Tempo: GraveTexture: homophonicPredominant rhythm: dotted figure On your recording, is the dotted rhythm interpreted literally or is it double-dotted?

Describe the “affection” created:

Section BEx. 2.18 Handel, Messiah, Sinfony: mm. 13–24

Tempo: Allegro moderatoTexture: polyphonic (fugal)Number of voices: threeSubject introduced by: 1st violins and oboes

Is the fugue answer real or tonal?

In your own words, describe the main mood or “affection” of this section:

“There Were Shepherds” (soprano recitative)Type of recitative: recitativo seccoKey: C majorTempo: not indicatedTime signature: c

Text: “There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night.”

Required Listening:

MessiahThe audience in attendance on April 13, 1742, at Neale’s Music Hall in Dublin could not have guessed that the work they were about to hear would enjoy a popularity and recognition that few other compositions can match. With its French overture, Italian recitatives and arias, German counterpoint, and rich English choral writing, Messiah stands as a testament to the internationalism of its composer and its era.

Using the related terms, background information, and listening guide that follow, write your own description of Handel’s Messiah.

Background InformationGenre: oratorioDate and circumstances of first performance: 1742—for a benefit concert in Dublin;

composed the previous summer in just twenty-four daysSource of text: biblical prose—Old and New Testaments Librettist: Charles JennensLanguage: English

Formal structure: three parts—each contains multiple movements• PartOne—theprophecyofthecomingofChristandhisbirth• PartTwo—Christ’ssuffering,death,andthespreadofhisdoctrine• PartThree—theredemptionoftheworldthroughfaith

Performing forces: soprano, alto, tenor, and bass soloists; SATB chorus and string orchestra with continuo, oboes, bassoons, trumpets, and timpani

For the first performance of Messiah, there was a written notice asking women to come “without hoops” and for men to leave their swords at home in order to increase the capacity of the concert hall that normally seated around 600 people.

Listening GuideListen to a recording or watch a video performance of the following excerpts from Messiah: Overture, “There were shepherds,” “Glory to God,” “Rejoice greatly,” “Hallelujah.” If possible, follow a score while you listen.

OvertureTitle in original score: SinfonyGenre: French overtureForm: A (repeated) BKey: E minorTime signature: c

Section AEx. 2.17 Handel, Messiah, Sinfony (piano reduction): mm. 1–4

“. . . allowed by the greatest judges to be the finest composition of Musick that was ever heard.”

Review in Dublin Journal after first performance of Messiah.


Tempo: GraveTexture: homophonicPredominant rhythm: dotted figure On your recording, is the dotted rhythm interpreted literally or is it double-dotted?

Describe the “affection” created:

Section BEx. 2.18 Handel, Messiah, Sinfony: mm. 13–24

Tempo: Allegro moderatoTexture: polyphonic (fugal)Number of voices: threeSubject introduced by: 1st violins and oboes

Is the fugue answer real or tonal?

In your own words, describe the main mood or “affection” of this section:

“There Were Shepherds” (soprano recitative)Type of recitative: recitativo seccoKey: C majorTempo: not indicatedTime signature: c

Text: “There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night.”


Ex. 2.19 Handel, Messiah, “There were shepherds . . .”: mm. 1–4

Type of recitative: recitativo accompagnatoKey: F majorTempo: AndanteTime signature: c

Text: “And lo! The angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.”

Ex. 2.20 Handel, Messiah, “And lo! The angel of the Lord . . .”: mm. 1–2

What image in the text does the active accompaniment suggest?

Type of recitative: recitativo seccoKey: begins in D majorTempo: not indicatedTime signature: c

Text: “And the angel said unto them ‘Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people; for unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior which is Christ the Lord’.”

Ex. 2.21 Handel, Messiah, “And the angel said unto them . . .”: mm. 1–3


Type of recitative: recitativo accompagnatoKey: begins in D majorTempo: not indicatedTime signature: c

Text: “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heav’nly host, praising God, and saying”

Ex. 2.22 Handel, Messiah, “And suddenly . . .”: mm. 1–5

What image in the text does the accompaniment suggest?

“Glory to God” (chorus)

Key: D majorTempo: AllegroTime signature: c

Text: “Glory to God, Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, good will towards men.”


Ex. 2.23 Handel, Messiah, “Glory to God . . .”: mm. 1–8

Explain the connection between the text and the music (word painting) in the highlighted passage (“and peace on earth”).

“Rejoice Greatly” (soprano aria)Key: B flat majorTempo: AllegroTime signature: c

Form: ABA1


Section AText: “Rejoice, rejoice, rejoice greatly, o daughter of Zion. Rejoice greatly, shout,

o daughter of Jerusalem. Behold thy king cometh unto thee . . .”

Ex. 2.24 Handel, Messiah, “Rejoice greatly . . .”: Section A: mm. 9–11

Ex. 2.25 Handel, Messiah, “Rejoice greatly . . .”: Section A: mm. 17–20

Describe how word painting is employed in setting the word “rejoice” in the excerpt above:

Describe one additional example of word painting in this aria:

Section BKey: G minorText: “He is the righteous Savior, and He shall speak peace unto the heathen.”

Ex. 2.26 Handel, Messiah, “Rejoice greatly . . .”: Section B: mm. 43–46


How is contrast achieved in Section B?

“Hallelujah” (chorus)Key: D majorTempo: AllegroTime signature: c

Text: “Hallelujah, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever. King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, Hallelujah!”

Ex. 2.27 Handel, Messiah, “Hallelujah”: mm. 1–7

• homorhythmictextureonopening“Hallelujah”


Ex. 2.28 Handel, Messiah, “Hallelujah”: mm. 41–51

• imitativepolyphonyon“andHeshallreignforeverandever”

How is contrast achieved within this chorus?

How is the climax created?

If imitation is the highest form of flattery, then where does that leave “alteration”? That is the question we can ask when we look at the many different “versions” of Messiah that have surfaced. When Mozart’s version was performed in Vienna in 1787—with flutes, clarinets, horns, trombones, and organ added to the original orchestration—the posters might just as well have read, “A New Messiah for a New Generation.” In 1959, Sir Thomas Beecham conducted a titanic version of Messiah, with additions including piccolo, contrabassoon, tuba, percussion, and harp. Is bigger necessarily better? Listen to recordings of these interpretations and decide for yourself.


HandelThe Harmonious Blacksmith, from Suite No. 5 in E Major, HWV 430In 1720, George Frideric Handel published eight dazzling harpsichord suites. The final movement of Suite no. 5 is a catchy theme and variations, which by the 19th century, came to be known as The Harmonious Blacksmith. Was there a true-to-life blacksmith that served as the composer’s inspiration? Check out the many different answers to this question online. But before you do that, listen to a recording of this famous work, played on the harpsichord, piano—even the accordion! The opening theme—a lyrical “air,” as Handel called it—gives way to a series of five variations. The final variation includes virtuosic thirty-second note runs that would challenge any keyboard-playing blacksmith.

“He Spake the Word,” from Israel in Egypt, HWV 54This “double” chorus, from Handel’s famous oratorio of 1738, is both fabulous and funny. Listen to how the stern, unison opening of the tenors and basses—“He spake the word”—is answered by sopranos and altos in high-pitched tones—“And there came all manner of flies.” How did Handel use the orchestra to bring this image of biblical infestation to life? He wrote string parts that buzz and twitter in a manner rarely, if ever, heard before. In this movement, homorhythmic texture and terraced dynamics—signatures of Handel’s style—merge to form a lasting impression on the listener.

Handel Works in Celebration Series Perspectives©:Impertinence, HWV 494 (Piano Repertoire 2)Gavotte in G Major, HWV 491 (Piano Repertoire 3)Air in D Minor, HWV 461 (Piano Repertoire 4)Suite No. 8 in G Major, HWV 441: Aria (Piano Repertoire 7)Suite No. 7 in G Minor, HWV 432: Gigue (Piano Repertoire 8)Suite No. 4 in E Minor, HWV 429 (Piano Repertoire 9)

Web

questBe a “virtual tourist” and visit websites related to the cities, churches, and homes where Vivaldi, Bach, and Handel lived and worked. When you do your initial search, combine the names of the composers with the appropriate city first, then refine the parameters with additional words like museum, house, birthplace (Geburtshaus), monuments, tours, etc.


Review and ReflectionElements of Baroque Musical StyleNow that you have completed your study of Baroque music, consider how the key elements of Baroque musical style were revealed in the pieces you studied in this unit.

Give one example (composition title, chosen from the required works studied in this chapter), that best illustrates each of the following style features:

The “Affections”• asingleemotionorgesturedominatesExample: Fugue in B flat Major

melody

• Fortspinnung—a German term Example: describing a continuously unfolding

melody

• highlyembellished,ornamentallines Example:

formal structure

• ternary(ABA) Example:

• ritornello Example:

harmony/texture

• major/minortonality Example:

• polyphonictexture,oftenimitative Example:

• homorhythmictexture Example:

rhythm

• piecesoftencomposedwithclearly Example: defined metric structure

• motoricrhythm Example:

• free,improvisatorystyle Example:

dynamics

• terraceddynamics Example:

instruments

• idiomaticwriting Example:

• virtuosicwriting Example:

performance practice

• basso continuo Example:

• improvisation Example:

• ornamentation Example:

• double-dotting Example:


Compare the musical careers of Vivaldi, Bach, and Handel by completing the chart below:

Antonio Vivaldi J.S. Bach G.F. Handel

Dates

Birthplace

Education

Instruments played

Places of employment

Names of patrons

Genres cultivated

Hallmarks of individual style

Your personal comments:

What do you like best about Baroque music?

Do you have a favorite composer or piece from this era?

Of the works you studied in this unit, which did you enjoy the most, and why?


Unit ThreeThe Classical Period

(ca 1750–ca 1825)

Historians often refer to the late 18th century as the Age of Enlightenment. This was an era characterized by the pursuit of knowledge, rational thinking, and a growing—and controversial—desire for equality among all people. While Italy was the center of musical activity in the Baroque era, the city of Vienna took on this role in the Classical period. Ironically, not one of the three great giants of the “Viennese School” (Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven) was born in Vienna, yet all were drawn to the city by its vibrant culture and patronage of the arts.

The dynamic social and political changes that led to the French Revolution (1789–1799) affected the relationship between composers and their patrons. This was illustrated vividly in the careers of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. Haydn thrived while working for the same family throughout his career; Mozart had difficulty maintaining patronage appointments; and Beethoven, though he had loyal supporters, never worked for a single employer.

The Classical ideals of proportion, symmetry, and balance are present in the art and music of the late 18th century. Having rediscovered the simplicity and clean lines of Greco-Roman art, artists and architects began to move away from the ornate style that was popular in the Baroque period. Of the many musical developments that took place, the emergence of sonata form, with its focus on structural balance, stands out as the defining achievement of the Classical period.

Web

quest

Building a Musical VocabularyThe terms listed below are all associated with music of the Classical era.


*classicism• pertainstothehighestlevelofexcellence• possessingenduringvalueortimelessquality• referstotheculturesofAncientRomeandGreeceaswellastheart,architecture,and

music of the late 18th century• emphasisonsymmetry,balance,andproportion

*Viennese School• referstothemusicalstyleforgedbyHaydn,Mozart,andBeethovenandtheir

contemporaries • inlate18th-centuryVienna,Austriaflourishedasamusicalcenter

Unit ThreeThe Classical Period

(ca 1750–ca 1825)

Historians often refer to the late 18th century as the Age of Enlightenment. This was an era characterized by the pursuit of knowledge, rational thinking, and a growing—and controversial—desire for equality among all people. While Italy was the center of musical activity in the Baroque era, the city of Vienna took on this role in the Classical period. Ironically, not one of the three great giants of the “Viennese School” (Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven) was born in Vienna, yet all were drawn to the city by its vibrant culture and patronage of the arts.

The dynamic social and political changes that led to the French Revolution (1789–1799) affected the relationship between composers and their patrons. This was illustrated vividly in the careers of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. Haydn thrived while working for the same family throughout his career; Mozart had difficulty maintaining patronage appointments; and Beethoven, though he had loyal supporters, never worked for a single employer.

The Classical ideals of proportion, symmetry, and balance are present in the art and music of the late 18th century. Having rediscovered the simplicity and clean lines of Greco-Roman art, artists and architects began to move away from the ornate style that was popular in the Baroque period. Of the many musical developments that took place, the emergence of sonata form, with its focus on structural balance, stands out as the defining achievement of the Classical period.

Web

questLook online for images of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, and compare it with the Thomas Jefferson Memorial in Charlottesville, Virginia, Downing College, in Cambridge, England, and La Madeleine in Paris, France. Consider how the ancient Greek ideals of balance and proportion are embodied in these examples of neo-Classical architecture.

Building a Musical VocabularyThe terms listed below are all associated with music of the Classical era.


*classicism• pertainstothehighestlevelofexcellence• possessingenduringvalueortimelessquality• referstotheculturesofAncientRomeandGreeceaswellastheart,architecture,and

music of the late 18th century• emphasisonsymmetry,balance,andproportion

*Viennese School• referstothemusicalstyleforgedbyHaydn,Mozart,andBeethovenandtheir

contemporaries • inlate18th-centuryVienna,Austriaflourishedasamusicalcenter

49

*absolute music• musicwithoutextra-musicalassociations• alsoknownas“puremusic”• generictitlesreflectingtempos,genres,orforms(forexample,Sonata,Allegretto,

Menuet, Rondo)

*sonata cycle• emergedintheClassicalera• multi-movementstructure• demonstratedinthesymphony,sonata,orconcerto

*binary form (see Glossary)

*ternary form (see Glossary)

*menuet and trio• menuet:astylizeddanceofFrenchorigindevelopedintheBaroqueperiod• intriplemeter• graceful,elegantcharacter• trio:contrastingmiddlesection• ternaryform(ABA)

*rondo form• Classicalformalstructureoftenusedinsonatacycle• SectionArecurs,withalternatingsectionscreatingcontrast• SectionAheardthreetimesormoreinthetonickey• ABACAorABACABA

*sonata form• formalstructureoftenusedinfirstmovementofsonatacycle• consistsofExposition(statementoftwoormorecontrastingthemes),Development

(departure), and Recapitulation (return)• alsoknownassonata–allegroform

sonata–rondo form• combineselementsofsonataformandrondoform• typicallayout:ABACABA(ABA—functionsasanExposition;C—Developmental

section—second ABA—functions as a Recapitulation)• alsoknownas“rondo–sonata”form

*chamber music• musicforsmallensemble(twototenplayers)• oneplayerperpart• usuallyperformedwithoutaconductor

style galant• Frenchfor“elegantstyle”• usedinreferencetopre-Classicalmusicalstyleemphasizinghomophonictexture,

delicate ornamentation, and a “light and airy” approach

Sturm und Drang• Germanfor“stormandstress”• aGermanliterarymovementofthe1770sexemplifiedintheworksofGoethe,

Schiller, and their contemporaries• demonstratesheightenedemotionalismanddramaticcontrastsforeshadowing

Romanticism

Empfindsamer Stil• Germanforthe“sensitivestyle”• alsoknownasEmpfindsamkeit• representedinmusicofC.P.E.Bach• amelancholy,introspective,expressivestylethatforeshadowsRomanticism

50 Unit Three: The Classical Period (ca 1750–ca 1825)

Sonata Form: Historical BackgroundThe most important musical structure to evolve in the Classical period was sonata form. Also known as first-movement form, or sonata–allegro form, sonata form developed from the rounded-binary principle. This came about through the efforts of pre-Classical composers including Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, Johann Christian Bach, and Karl Stamitz, as well as the composers of the Viennese School: Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven.

Ex. 3.1 Rounded Binary Diagram

: :

Section A

open cadence

usually modulates to dominant or

relative major

+Section B Section A

return of the opening, usually altered to stay

in tonic key:

The structure shown in Example 3.1 evolved into the expanded two-part form shown in Example 3.2. It contains the Exposition–Development–Recapitulation design that served as a template for individual movements within the sonata cycle.

Ex. 3.2 Sonata Form Diagram

[Intro] Theme 1

tonickey

Bridge

usually leads away from the tonic and modulates to the

new key

generally remains in the tonic key

dominant or relative major key

BridgeTheme 2 Theme 2Codetta Codetta/ Coda

Theme 1DevelopmentExposition Recapitulation

:

The outline below summarizes the events that unfold in the principal sections of a typical sonata form:

(Introduction)• notastandardcomponentoftheform• usuallyslow;notalwaysrelatedtowhatcomeslater• establishesthetonickey,thoughsometimesintonicmajororminor• createsmusicaltensionandsuspensetocapturethelistener’sattention

Exposition First Theme• establishesthetonickey• presentsadistinctivemelodicandrhythmiccharacter• oftensetsthemoodfortheentiremovement

Bridge • initiatesthemovetonewkeycenter• oftenconsistsofscalefigurationsorchordalpassages

51Unit Two: The Baroque Period (ca 1600–1750)


Second Theme • establishesanewkey(dominantorrelativemajor)• oftencreatescontrast• sometimesconsistsofseveralthemes(themegroup)

Codetta• affirmsthenewkeybyextendingthefinalcadence• generallyconcludeswithrepeatsign• alsoreferredtoasclosingthemeorclosingsection• Expositionusuallyrepeated

Development• harmonictensionintensifiesthroughmodulationandincreaseddissonance• manipulationofthematicmaterialheardearlier• techniquesincludesequentialtreatment,fragmentation,inversion,changesto

orchestration• mayalsopresentnewmaterial• generallyendswithdominantpreparation(emphasisofdominantharmonyin

anticipation of the return to the tonic key)

Recapitulation• FirstTheme:returnsinthetonic• Bridge:remainsinthetonicbecausethereisnoneedtomodulatefortherestatement

of the second theme • SecondTheme:restatedinthetonic• (Codetta): usually restated in the tonic• Coda: provides a longer concluding section reaffirming the tonic key

Listening for Elements of Sonata FormListen to a recording of the first movement of Beethoven’s Sonata in G Major, op. 49, no. 2 for piano.

Examine a score for this sonata movement. With your teacher’s help, complete a basic analysis, identifying the main structural elements of sonata form.

If you are a piano student, you have probably played many sonatinas by composers including Clementi, Kuhlau, and Diabelli. Sonatinas are miniature versions of sonatas, as the suffix “ina” indicates. They typically have a multi-movement structure, and the first movements are usually small-scale Sonata forms.

Haydn and the String Quartet Often regarded as the father of Classical style, “Papa” Haydn was a key figure in the development of the symphony, sonata, and string quartet. During his long and prolific career, Haydn enjoyed the benefits of the patronage system. Having the same employer for many years allowed him to experiment with approaches to formal structure and instrumental writing. Haydn’s music incorporates a wide range of elements: robust energy, the spirit of folk music, wit, and humor. Toward the end of his life, both Mozart and Beethoven paid him homage, acknowledging their musical debt to this great Classical master.

“Young people can learn from my example that something

can come from nothing. What I have become is the result

of my hard efforts.”Franz Joseph Haydn

The Life and Music of Franz Joseph Haydn (1732–1809) Use the outline below to write an account of the life and music of Franz Joseph Haydn.

Family Background and Education• borninRohrau,Austria• fatherwasawheelwright,motherwasacook;brothersMichaelandJohannalso

became musicians• childhoodtalentsrecognized;recruitedtobeachoirboyatSt.Stephen’sCathedral,

Vienna• educatedatSt.Stephen’sbutalsoselftaught;consideredNicolaPorpora(Italian

singer-composer) to be his only teacher

Life and Musical Career • dismissedfromSt.Stephen’saftervoicechanged;becamefreelancemusicianin

Vienna, an emerging cultural center • difficultperiod:earnedalivingbycomposing,performing,teaching,accompanying;

gradually gained attention of potential patrons • beganfirstfull-timepositionasKapellmeister(musicdirector)toCountFerdinand

von Morzin; duties included conducting, composing, performing; composed first symphony while in this position

• marriedMariaAnnaKellerin1760—unhappy,childlessmarriage• beganemploymentinEisenstadtwiththewealthyandinfluentialEsterházyfamilyas

assistant Kapellmeister• becameKapellmeisterandmovedwithEsterházyfamilytoEsterházaestate

(magnificent palace; second only to Versailles) • hiscontractstipulatedadresscode,deportment,andmusicalexpectations;duties

included training instrumentalists, conducting, composing, and performing chamber music

• suppliedallmusicforthecourtoperahouse,theater,andchapel• despiterestrictions,Haydnwasfreetodiscoverhisartisticvoiceandcreativefreedom• exploredtheleadinggenresoftheday—symphony,opera,stringquartet• reputationgraduallygrewoutsidetheHouseofEsterházy;publishedmanyworks,

received commissions from other sources (for example, “Paris” Symphonies)• developedfriendshipwithMozart;theyrespectedandadmiredeachotherdespite

their age difference; dedicated string quartets to one another• movedtoViennaafterPrinceAntonsucceededPrinceNikolai;Antonwasnota

music lover—paid Haydn a pension but relieved him of all duties• firsttriptoLondon:engagedbyconcertpromoterJohannPeterSalomonforaseries

of concerts • composedandconductedthefirstsixofhis“LondonSymphonies;”accordingto

contemporary accounts, he “electrified” audiences• receivedhonorarydoctoratefromOxfordUniversity• metBeethovenin1792inVienna;Haydntaughthimbriefly• secondtriptoLondon:lastsixsymphonieswerecriticallyandfinanciallysuccessful• movedbacktoViennapermanently• inlateryears,hewroteoratorios(The Creation and The Seasons), six masses for Prince

Nicholas II (Anton’s successor), and more string quartets• wantedAustriatohaveapatrioticanthemlikeEngland’sGod Save the King; wrote the

music for Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser (God Save Emperor Franz); the melody later became Germany’s national anthem

• retiredduetofailinghealth• lastpublicappearancein1808atperformanceofDie Schöpfung (The Creation)• diedMay31;Mozart’sRequiemwasperformedathismemorialservice

1759

1761

1766

1790

17941795

1802

1809

53Unit Three: The Classical Period (ca 1750–ca 1825)


The patronage of the Esterházy family came with a price. The converted hunting lodge that was turned into the principal residence for the princes and their considerable entourage was quite isolated. Haydn’s contract stipulated strict conditions of conduct, and the uniform he was required to wear somewhat resembled that of the Pope’s Swiss Guard. Many unusual works were requested by the Esterházys, including puppet operas for the special marionette stage and over one hundred works involving Prince Nikolaus’ instrument, the baryton, now virtually extinct.

Musical Style and ContributionsAlthough in some respects he was a traditionalist, Haydn was also open to experimentation and drew from the main currents of his time. His music embraced the grace and elegance of the style galant, the dramatic contrasts of Sturm und Drang (storm and stress) and the heightened emotionalism of the empfindsamer Stil (the sensitive style).

• regardedasthe“father”ofthesymphonyandstringquartetbecauseofhissignificantcontributions to both genres

• contributedtothedevelopmentofsonataformintermsofformalelements,melody,and harmony: he included slow introductions that feature ambiguous tonality, suspenseful atmosphere, and chromatic harmony

• hisexpositionsareoftenmonothematic—firstandsecondthemesidenticalorsimilar,but in different keys

• influencedbyfolksongsanddances;usedsimplediatonicmelodieswithanarrowrange• includedinterestingsoundeffects:pedalpointstosuggestbagpipes,pizzicato strings

to suggest guitar• musicalplayfulnessdemonstratedbysuddendynamicchangesorabruptsilences• dramaticelementsincludedsuddenaccentsandboldchangesofchordsorkeys(for

example his use of a loud C major chord in The Creation to depict the word “light”)

If you have played works by Haydn, you may have noticed that they are identified by Hoboken (Hob.) numbers. Anthony van Hoboken was a Dutch musicologist. His thematic catalog divides Haydn’s works into a number of categories that are indicated by Roman numerals. For example, all the piano sonatas are in category XVI.

Genres and Titles• symphonies:over100,includingno.94,“Surprise”;no.100,“Military”;no.104,“London”• concertos:forpiano,violin,cello,andtrumpet• stringquartets:68,includingop.76,no.2,“Quinten”;op.76,no.3,“Kaiser”• pianosonatas:over40• oratorios:The Creation, The Seasons, The Seven Last Words of Christ• sacredvocalworks:masses,includingLord Nelson Mass, Mass in the Time of War• operas:14,includingArmida• novelties:marionettetheaterworks,compositionsforthebaryton,anowobsolete

string instrument

Humor is an attractive feature in Haydn’s music. In the “Farewell” Symphony (no. 45), Haydn sent a subtle message to Prince Nikolaus about the orchestra’s desire to go home after a lengthy stay at Esterháza. At the end of the last movement, the score instructs the musicians to blow out their candles and leave the stage one by one, until only two violinists remain. Apparently the prince got the message; the orchestra was granted its vacation soon after the performance!

“As director of the orchestra, I could make experiments . . .

add, delete, take risks. I was cut off from the world, no one could

cause me to doubt myself or pester me, so I had to become

an original.”Franz Joseph Haydn


Building a Musical VocabularyUsing the key words and phrases provided, write a definition in the Glossary on page 135 for each of the terms marked with an asterisk (*).

*string quartet• mostimportantchamber-musicgenreoftheClassicalera• performingforces:violinI,violinII,viola,andcello• usuallyinfourmovements:fast–slow–moderatelyfast–fast• firstmovementusuallyinsonataform

*exposition• thefirstmainsectioninsonataform• twocontrastingthemesarestated• thefirstthemeisinthetonickey• thesecondtheme(orthemes)areinacontrastingkey;generallyinthedominantor

relative major

*development• thesecondmainsectioninsonataform• themesfromtheexpositionaremanipulatedthroughfragmentation,sequential

treatment or changes to orchestration • modulationsandincreasedharmonictension• newthemesmayalsobeintroduced

*recapitulation• thethirdmainsectioninsonataform• firstandsecondthemesarebothrestatedinthetonic

*coda• Latinfor“tail”(cauda)• aconcludingsectionreaffirmingthetonickey

Required Listening:

String Quartet, op. 76, no. 2 (“Quinten”)Haydn is considered the pioneer of the Classical string quartet. The six quartets that comprise opus 76 (1796–1797) were commissioned by Count Joseph Erdödy, to whom Haydn dedicated the works.

Using the related terms, background information, and listening guide that follow, write your own description of String Quartet, op. 76, no. 2 (“Quinten”).

Background InformationGenre: string quartetDate of composition: 1797Significance of title: Quintus means “fifth” in Latin: the bold descending fifths in the first

violin part in the opening measures of the first movement earned this work its nickname


Ex. 3.3 Haydn, String Quartet in D Minor, op. 76, no. 2 (“Quinten”); 1st mvt: mm. 1–2

Overall structure: four movements

Listening GuideListen to a recording of the fourth movement of the “Quinten” Quartet. If possible, follow a score while you listen.

Key: D minor—ends in D majorForm: sonata formTempo: Vivace assaiTime signature:

ExpositionFirst ThemeEx. 3.4 Haydn, “Quinten” Quartet, 4th mvt: mm. 1–8

• introducedbythefirstviolinwithanascendingperfect4thinterval—playedp• featurespronouncedsyncopations• unexpectedfermatas arrest the forward drive

Describe the musical character and mood of the first theme:


Bridge Ex. 3.5 Haydn, “Quinten” Quartet, 4th mvt: mm. 22–25

• growsoutoffirsttheme• presentedbythesecondviolin• supportedbypedalpoint

Second Theme Group • Fmajor(relativemajorkey)

Ex. 3.6 Haydn, “Quinten” Quartet, 4th mvt: mm. 50–56

• includesadescendingsequence

Ex. 3.7 Haydn, “Quinten” Quartet, 4th mvt: mm. 63–70

• descendingdouble-stopthirdsinthefirstviolinpartarefollowedbywide descending leaps

• demonstratesabruptchangesindynamics


Codetta• confirmsFmajor(therelativemajorkey)• supportedbyatonicpedalpoint

Development• usessecond-themematerialthroughout• frequentshiftsintexture(homophonictopolyphonic)withimitation• concludeswithdominantpreparation—thefirstviolinsoutlineadiminishedseventh

chord which increases the tension in mm. 66–69

Recapitulation• thefirstthemereturnsinDminor,thenunexpectedlyshiftstoDmajor(tonicmajor)

and remains in that key until the end of the movement• thebridgeandsecond-themegrouparerestatedinDmajor• thecelloisabsentinmm.180–202

What effect does the absence of the cello create?

Coda• introducesrapidtripletsinthefirstviolinpart• endswithunisonarpeggios played ff

Supplemental Listening Activity:

Sonata-Cycle Design and the “Quinten” The sonata-cycle design of the complete quartet has been outlined in the table below. To complement your study of the fourth movement of this quartet, listen to the opening of each of the other movements.

First Movement Second Movement Third Movement Fourth MovementTempo Allegro Andante o piÙ tosto

allegrettoMenuetto: Allegro ma non troppo

Finale: Vivace assai

Key D minor D major/minor D minor D minorFormal structure

sonata form theme and variations ABA (ternary) form sonata form

Listen for Opening motive contains the descending fifths that gave the work its nickname

This movement demonstrates Haydn’s mastery of variation technique

Nicknamed “Witches Menuet” because of its dissonant harmony.Also contains a two-part canon

This movement is characterized by the frequent use of syncopation


HaydnSymphony No. 94 in G, “Surprise,” second movementYou have probably heard—or maybe even played—the famous melody upon which this theme and variations is based. Hearing the original orchestral version will provide you with a glimpse into Haydn’s musical humor. Legend has it that Haydn was having fun with audiences that tended to slumber during the slow movements of his symphonies. They would suddenly awake when they heard the infamous unexpected explosive chord that gave the symphony its nickname. The ensuing variations are delightfully “Viennese,” with their characteristic grace and elegance.


Trumpet Concerto in E flat Major, Hob. VIIe:I, first movementThe sunny and energetic opening movement of this concerto, written for the newly developed E flat trumpet demonstrates the capabilities of the instrument. Diatonic melodies and chromatic runs replace the broken triads and fanfare motives previously assigned to the instrument. A classic in the trumpet repertoire, it has been popularized by celebrated artists such as Maurice André, Jens Lindemann, and Wynton Marsalis.

Haydn Works in Celebration Series Perspectives©:Minuet in G Major (Piano Repertoire 1—attr. Haydn)Sonata in F Major, Hob. XVI:9, 3rd mvt: scherzo (Piano Repertoire 4)Divertimento in G Major, Hob. XVI:8, 3rd mvt and 4th mvt (Piano Repertoire 5)Divertimento in G Major, Hob. XVI:G1, 1st mvt (Piano Repertoire 6)Sonata in D Major, Hob. XVII:D1, 3rd mvt: Finale (Piano Repertoire 7)Sonata in G Major, Hob. XVI:39, 1st mvt (Piano Repertoire 8)Sonata in E Minor, Hob. XVI:34, complete (Piano Repertoire 9)Sonata in D Major, Hob. XVI:33, complete (Piano Repertoire 10)

Mozart and Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K 525Of all the composers from the Classical period, Mozart is possibly the most cherished. The most celebrated child prodigy of all time, he had performed for royalty before the age of six. By his early teens he had composed operas, solo keyboard works, chamber music, and symphonies. Unlike Haydn, Mozart struggled with the constraints of the patronage system throughout his career.

The lyricism that Mozart cultivated in his operas found expression in virtually every other genre he explored. Because of the ease and spontaneity with which he put musical thought to paper, Mozart won the envy and admiration of future composers. When we consider the personal tribulations he encountered and his tragic early death, his achievements seem all the more remarkable.

The Life and Music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)Use the outline below to write an account of the life and music of Mozart.

Family Background and Education• borninSalzburg,Austria• fatherwasLeopoldMozart,ahighlyesteemedviolinist,courtmusician,composer,

and author of A Treatise on the Fundamental Principles of Violin Playing (Versuch einer gründlichen Violinschule)

• Wolfgangwasachildprodigy,revealingprecociousnaturaltalentatanearlyage• receivedearlyinstructionfromLeopold,whooversawhisdevelopmentasavirtuoso

harpsichordist, pianist, organist, violinist, and composer • LeopoldplannedextensivetoursacrossEuropetoshowcasehisson’sabilities:Mozart

played for Empress Maria Theresa at age six and met Johann Christian Bach (whose influence would prove significant) at age eight

• heoftenperformedwithhisoldersisterMariaAnna(“Nannerl”),whowasalsoagifted musician

“Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is the only musician who had as

much knowledge as genius, and as much genius as knowledge.”

Gioachino Rossini


Life and Musical CareerSalzburg (1769–1781)• appointedconcertmaster(unpaid)atthecourtwhereLeopoldwasemployed• whenthenewarchbishop—HieronymusvonColloredo—waselected1771,hegranted

Mozart a salary • theirrelationshipbecameantagonistic,whichresultedinMozart’sdismissaland

subsequent reinstatement • madethreeextensivevisitstoItalywherehegavemanyconcertsandcomposed

several operas • whileinItaly,receivedtwodiplomasfromAçademiaFilarmonica(BolognaandVerona)• othertourstoMunich,Augsburg,Mannheim,andParis• motherdiedwhileontourwithhiminParis• passionforoperafueledafterthesuccessofIdomeneo in Munich • dissatisfiedinSalzburg;requesteddismissalfromtheArchbishop

Vienna (1781–1791)• movedtoVienna,hopingtoattainanofficialpositionattheimperialcourtofJosephII• enjoyedrelativeprosperityasafreelancepianist,teacher,andcomposer,buttendedto

live beyond his means • despitesuccesses,financialwoespersistedthroughouthiscareer• becamegoodfriendswithHaydntowhomhededicatedseveralstringquartets• earlycourtcommissionresultedinThe Abduction from the Seraglio, a Singspiel

(German comic opera) • marriedConstanzeWeber,anoperasinger,againsthisfather’swishes;onlytwoof

their six children survived

Wolfgang was quite smitten by the talented singing Weber sisters. The eldest, Josepha, was the first Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute; Aloysia, his first serious girlfriend, was Donna Anna in the Viennese premiere of Don Giovanni; he married the youngest sister, Constanze. Their marriage was sometimes happy, as shown by letters with endearing (if embarrassing) pet names. But it was also fraught with tension, as both were flirtatious and careless with money. After Mozart’s death, Constanze lived a long and comfortable life, re-marrying and benefiting from his growing fame. In fact, her second husband, Georg Nikolaus von Nissen, became Mozart’s first biographer.

• joinedtheOrderofFreemasons,asecretsocietyofenlightenedthinkers;LeopoldMozart and Joseph Haydn also became members

• successfulpremiereofThe Marriage of Figaro, written with librettist Lorenzo da Ponte

• moresuccessfulperformancesinPrague:Marriage of Figaro and Don Giovanni • namedImperialCourtChamberMusicComposertoEmperorJosephII• heardtheyoungBeethovenperformin1787;veryimpressed

Final Year (1791)• financialsituationbecameworse,accompaniedbydeclininghealth• beganworkonaRequiem(massforthedead),commissionedbyCountFranzvon

Walsegg who had intended to claim it as his own • collaboratedonThe Magic Flute with Emanuel Schikaneder (librettist, director, and

impresario); a very successful opera that contained veiled references to Masonic rituals

• commissionedtowriteThe Clemency of Titus for coronation of Leopold II as King of Bohemia

• diedDecember5;inexpensivefuneral,buriedinanunmarkedgrave

1769

17781779

1781

1782

1786


• Requiemunfinished;leftsketchesfromwhichhisstudentFranzXavierSüssmayrcompleted the work

Musical Style and Contributions• exemplifiedVienneseClassicalideals:elegance,balance,poise,refinement,

sophistication• virtuallyallClassicalgenreswereexplored,advanced,anddeveloped• utilizedmainlysymmetricalphrasestructures(four-measurephrases)• contributedtothedevelopmentofsonataform• contributedtotheestablishmentofathree-movementconcertostructure• harmoniclanguagebalanceddiatonicandchromaticelements• influencedbyfamousMannheimorchestra:orchestralwritingexpandedtheuseof

wind instruments• influencedbyJ.C.Bachindevelopmentofpianoconcerto• crystallizedthe18th-centurypianostyle,bothinhissoloworksandconcertos• operawascentraltohiscareer;madeimportantcontributionstothreetypes:

1. opera seria (serious Italian opera, sung throughout) including Idomeneo 2. opera buffa (Italian comic opera, sung throughout) including The Marriage

of Figaro 3. Singspiel (German comic opera with spoken dialogue) including The Magic Flute

• createdcompelling,realisticcharactersdramaticallyandmusically• absorbedvocalqualitiesandmelodiclyricismintohisinstrumentalwriting(for

example, slow movements)• workscataloguedbyLudwigvonKöchelin1862(“K”numbersintitlesofworksrefer

to this catalog)

Genres and Titles • symphonies:over40,includingno.35, “Haffner”; no. 36, “Linz”; no. 38, “Prague”;

no. 40; and no. 41, “Jupiter”• concertos:piano(27);violin(5);flute,fluteandharp,oboe,clarinet,horn• chambermusic:stringquartets(23),including“TheHunt”and“Dissonance”;duo

sonatas, trios, quintets, serenades, divertimenti• solopianomusic:sonatas,fantasias,variations• operas:morethan20,includingThe Abduction from the Seraglio, Don Giovanni,

Così fan tutte, and those listed above • vocalworks:Lieder,concertarias,motets,andmasses,including Coronation Mass

and Requiem Mass

To catch a glimpse of the world and society in which Mozart lived and worked, watch the Academy-Award winning film Amadeus. This 1984 drama was based on the play by Peter Shaffer. Although it is only loosely based on historical fact, the inclusion of authentic performances makes it an enjoyable and enlightening experience. Tom Hulce’s portrayal of Mozart’s giddy personality makes an amusing contrast to F. Murray Abraham’s Oscar-winning performance as Mozart’s frustrated rival, Antonio Salieri.


*rocket theme• rapidlyascendingmelodyoutlininganarpeggio• oftenusedasadramaticopeningmotiveinClassical-eraworks

“I pay no attention whatever to anyone’s praise or blame . . .

I follow my own feelings.”Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart


*rounded binary form• two-partmusicalform:A B + A• materialfromSectionAreturnswithinSectionB

romanza• Italianfor“romance”• inthe18thcentury,usedasatitleforinstrumentalpiecesofatender,lyricalcharacter

*serenade• multi-movementorchestralgenre• forsmallorchestraorchamberensemble• popularinstrumentalgenreintheClassicalera• oftenperformedinaristocraticsocialsettingsandatoutdoorevents

Required Listening:

Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K 525This famous and charming serenade for strings serves as an excellent introduction to the Classical sonata cycle. Composed in 1787, it was intended to serve as light entertainment for an aristocratic audience. Symmetrical phrases, essentially diatonic harmony, and clarity of texture are characteristic features.

Using the related terms, background information, and listening guide that follow, write your own description of Eine kleine Nachtmusik. Include related terms where appropriate.

Background InformationGenre: serenade for strings (chamber music)Performing forces: double string quartet (with optional double bass)—often performed

by a string orchestraDate of composition: 1787Translation of title: A Little Night Music

Listening GuideListen to a recording or watch a video performance of Eine kleine Nachtmusik. If possible, follow a score while you listen.

First MovementKey: G majorForm: sonata formTempo: AllegroTime signature: c

ExpositionFirst ThemeEx. 3.8 Mozart, Eine kleine Nachtmusik, 1st mvt: mm. 1–4

• inunison,outlinesthetonic,thendominantseventhchords• homophonictexture—melodiclineplayedbyviolin


BridgeEx. 3.9 Mozart, Eine kleine Nachtmusik, 1st mvt: mm. 18–22

• modulatestoanewkey:Dmajor• thefirstviolinsoutlineaGmajortriad,followedbyascendingscalemovement

leading to D major

Second Theme Group—(2a)Ex. 3.10 Mozart, Eine kleine Nachtmusik, 1st mvt: mm. 28–31

• contrastswiththefirsttheme• melodybeginswithafriskydownwardturn• featuresatripletfigureandpiano dynamic level

Second Theme Group—(2b)Ex. 3.11 Mozart, Eine kleine Nachtmusik, 1st mvt: mm. 36–39

• builtfromarepeatedeighth-notefigurethatcreatesaninsistentquality

Codetta• allinstrumentsplaybrieflyinunisonagain,endingwithastrongperfectcadencein

D major• repeatsignsareusuallyobservedinperformance


Ex. 3.12 Mozart, Eine kleine Nachtmusik, 1st mvt: mm. 51–55

Development • thisshortdevelopmentbeginswithfirst-themematerialinDmajor• quicklymovesfromDmajortoCmajor,thenfeaturesmaterialfromtheme2b• towardtheendofthedevelopmentthereisastrongemphasisonthedominantchord

(dominant preparation), which prepares the listener for the return of the main theme in the tonic key

Ex. 3.13 Mozart, Eine kleine Nachtmusik, 1st mvt: mm. 70–76

Recapitulation• firstthemereturnsexactlyaspresentedintheExposition• bridgeunexpectedlycadencesinDmajor(liketheExposition);thebridgeisusually

altered in the Recapitulation to remain in the tonic• secondthemegroupfulfillslistener’sexpectations:itbringsreturnofGmajor• coda grows out of the codetta, ending with a reference to the first theme

Second Movement (Romanza)Key: C majorForm: Rondo form (ABACA Coda)Tempo: AndanteTime signature: C

What is the relationship between the key of this movement and the home key of the entire work?


Section AEx. 3.14 Mozart, Eine kleine Nachtmusik, 2nd mvt: mm. 1–4

• characterislyrical,understated,simple,andelegant• unfoldsoveratonicpedal• balanceisachievedthroughfour-measurephraseswithclear-cutcadences• internalstructureofthissectionisroundedbinaryform

Section BEx. 3.15 Mozart, Eine kleine Nachtmusik, 2nd mvt: mm. 17–20

• newmelodyisintroduced• becomesmoreactiverhythmically• melodiclineisembellished

Section CEx. 3.16 Mozart, Eine kleine Nachtmusik, 2nd mvt: mm. 39–42

• newkey:Cminor• imitativedialoguebetweentheouterparts• repeatedsixteenth-notefigureininnervoices

What contrasting mood or character does the music evoke here?


Section A• returnsinCmajor

Coda• growsoutofSectionAmaterial• bringsthemovementtoagentleclose

Third MovementKey: G majorForm: ABA (Ternary)Tempo: AllegrettoTime signature:

MenuetEx. 3.17 Mozart, Eine kleine Nachtmusik, 3rd mvt: mm. 1–8

• internalstructureofthismenuetisroundedbinary• phrasesaretypicallyfourmeasureslong• f dynamic, robust character• dance-likequalityreinforcedthroughrhythmicaccentuation

Trio• newkey:Dmajor• contrastisachievedthroughsotto voce indication, more lyrical character, legato lines• morechromaticinflectionsthaninthemenuet

Ex. 3.18 Mozart, Eine kleine Nachtmusik, 3rd mvt: mm. 17–24

What is the relationship of the new key to the home key of this movement?

What do the words sotto voce indicate to the performers?

Menuet (Section A)• returnsinGmajor

Were the repeats observed in the performance you listened to?

Fourth MovementKey: G majorForm: sonata–rondo formTempo: AllegroTime signature: C


First ThemeEx. 3.19 Mozart, Eine kleine Nachtmusik, 4th mvt: mm. 1–8

• spirited,light-heartedcharacter• openswitharocketthemethatoutlinesthetonicarpeggio

Second Theme• beginswithadownwardturnofaminorsixth• stepwisemotion• employssomechromaticembellishments

Summarize the musical features of all four movements by completing the chart below:

Musical Feature First Movement Second Movement Third Movement Fourth Movement

Tempo

Key

Time signature

Form

Character/mood


MozartPiano Sonata in A Major, K 331, third movement This sonata, one of Mozart’s most beloved, curiously does not include a movement in sonata form. The finale, labeled Rondo alla turca, with its biting dissonances, evokes the colorful pageantry of the exotic Janissary bands of the Turkish military that had captured the imagination of Classical composers. As you listen to the octaves, grace notes, and chords in this movement you can imagine the sound of raucous wind instruments and clashing cymbals.

During Mozart’s time, some pianos were fitted with additional pedals to create specific effects. According to historian Alfred Dolge, “The Janissary pedal . . . added all kinds of rattling noises to the normal piano performance. It could cause a drumstick to strike the underside of the soundboard, ring bells, shake a rattle, and even create the effect of a cymbal crash by hitting several bass strings with a strip of brass foil.” Mozart’s Rondo alla Turca, written in 1778, was meant to use these Janissary effects.

Exsultate, jubilate, K 165, “Alleluia”For sheer spiritual joy and virtuosic display, the third movement of this sacred motet is hard to top! Notice how the composer spins out an entire movement through the melismatic setting of a single word—“Alleluia.”

Although it is now associated with coloratura sopranos, it was originally composed by the sixteen-year old Mozart for the castrato Venanzio Rauzzini.

“O Mozart, immortal Mozart, how many infinitely inspiring

suggestions of a finer, better life have you left in our souls.”

Franz Schubert


Mozart Works in Celebration Series Perspectives©:Minuet in F Major, K 2 (Piano Repertoire 1)Menuetto I in C Major (Piano Repertoire 2)Menuetto in F Major (Piano Repertoire 3)Fantasia in D Minor, K 397 (Piano Repertoire 9)Sonata in C Major, K 330 (300h), 2nd mvt (Piano Repertoire 9)Sonata in E flat Major, K 282 (189g), complete (Piano Repertoire 10)

Beethoven and Symphony No. 5, op. 67 In his life and career, Ludwig van Beethoven embraced the spirit and ideals of both the Classical and Romantic eras. Beethoven fully possessed the vision and idealism of a true artist; in the face of deafness—a devastating fate for a musician—he demonstrated an unfailing spirit and triumph of will. Musically, his innovative approach and originality are unsurpassed, and his legacy cast a giant shadow over the composers of the 19th century. Beethoven’s nine symphonies and thirty-two piano sonatas are crowning achievements in their respective genres. Bold in their conception, these works challenged the listeners of their day and inspired future generations of composers.

The Life and Music of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)Use the outline below to write an account of the life and music of Beethoven.

Family Background and Education• borninBonn,Germany,toamusicalfamily• grandfather,Ludwig,wasKapellmeisteratElectoralcourt;sourceofinspirationfor

Ludwig, even though he died when Beethoven was three• father,Johann,wasasingerandinstrumentalistattheElectoralcourt;hewasaharsh,

severe parent who became an alcoholic • receivedearlymusicaltrainingfromfather;laterstudiedcompositionand

counterpoint with Christian Neefe, court organist in Bonn

Life and Musical Career• earlycareerinBonnasorganistandviolistincourtorchestras• traveledtoViennaintendingtostudywithMozart;hismother’sillnesscompelled

him to return to Bonn after a short time• becameheadofhouseholdaftermother’sdeath;financiallyresponsibleforbrothers

Caspar and Nikolaus• movedtoVienna;closerelationsbetweenthecourtsinBonnandViennahelpedhim

get established • brieflystudiedwithHaydn;dedicatedhisfirstthreepianosonatastohim• attractedthepatronageofViennesenobility;gainedfinancialsupportand

commissions• influentialpatronsincludedPrinceLobkowitz,PrinceLichnowsky,andCount

Rasumovsky

Beethoven’s patrons occasionally experienced his wrath if he took offense to their musical demands. On one occasion, Prince Lichnowsky requested that Beethoven entertain some French officers; he responded by angrily storming off into the driving rain! On another occasion, Beethoven wrote the following words to his patron: “Prince, what you are, you are by accident of birth; what I am, I am of myself. There are and will be thousands of princes, but there is only one Beethoven.”

“Beethoven’s music sets in motion the machinery of awe, of fear, of terror, of pain, and awakens the

infinite yearning which is the essence of romanticism.”

E.T.A. Hoffmann

1787

1792


• firstsoloconcertappearanceinVienna,followedbyconcertsinPrague,Dresden,Leipzig, and Berlin

• hadmanyromanticinfatuations,butremainedsingle• begantolosehearinginhismid-twenties;attemptsattreatmentfailed• wrotealettertohisbrothers(knowntodayastheHeiligenstadtTestament)inwhich

he revealed his inner turmoil and conflict; contemplated suicide but rose above the crisis

• believedinthemottooftheFrenchRevolution:“Liberté, égalité, fraternité” (Liberty, equality, fraternity)

• admiredNapoleonbutgrewdisillusionedwithhim;removedNapoleon’snamefromthe dedication of Symphony No. 3, “Eroica” after he declared himself emperor

• madehislastconcertappearanceasapianist,performingthe“Archduke”PianoTrio,op. 97

• gainedcustodyofnephewKarlafteralengthylegalbattlewithhissister-in-law(brother Caspar had died in 1815)

• totallydeafinlateryears;visitorswroteinconversationbooks• spentfinalyearslivinginisolation;becameincreasinglywithdrawnandanti-social

Beethoven was apparently an undesirable tenant. He moved thirty-three times in thirty-five years, lived in a complete mess, grew increasingly unconcerned with his personal hygiene and appearance, and was incorrigible to his landlords and landladies.

• devastatedbyKarl’ssuicideattemptin1826;fellgravelyill• diedMarch26,apparentlyfrompneumonia• highlyrespectedinVienna;funeralattractedthousandsofadmirers

Style and Contributions• boldinnovator—highlyoriginalandinfluentialfigure• superbmusicalarchitect:plannedandmeticulouslyrevisedworksinsketchbooks• thematicmaterialoftengrowsoutofshort,incisivemotives• developedandexpandedClassicalgenres:sonata,concerto,symphony• transformedvirtuallyeverygenrehetouched• innovationsinclude:replacingthegracefulMenuetandTriowiththemoredramatic

Scherzo (Symphony No. 5); use of cyclical structure (Symphony No. 5); programmatic elements (Symphony No. 6); inclusion of chorus and soloists in the symphony (Symphony No. 9)

• explosiveaccents,extremedynamiccontrasts• incorporatedneworchestralinstruments:piccolo,trombone,andcontrabassoon• exploitednewfeaturesandimprovementsinthepianosofhisday,forexample,the

expanded range Because Beethoven’s compositional style evolved considerably during his lifetime, his music is typically divided into three style periods:

Early Period (1782–1802)• absorbedtheClassical-styletraitsinheritedfromHaydnandMozart(forexample,

sonata form)• Sturm und Drang influence evident in his preference for minor keys (especially

C minor), and his use of tremolo and abrupt contrasts

Representative works: six string quartets, op. 18; symphonies nos. 1 and 2; first ten piano sonatas (opp. 2–14)

1795

1802

1814

1820

1827


Middle Period (1803–1815)• moreRomanticelements,suchasincreasedchromaticism,abruptandunusual

modulations• epic,heroiccharacter

Representative works: Fidelio (opera), Violin Concerto, symphonies nos. 3–8, Piano Concerto No. 5, “Emperor”

Late Period (1815–1827)• stylebecamemoreabstractandmeditative• employedcounterpointmorefrequently,includingfugalwriting• experimentedfurtherwithformandcontent;forexample,addingSATBsoloistsand

chorus to the final movement of Symphony No. 9

Representative works: piano sonatas, opp. 109, 110, and 111, Missa solemnis, Symphony No. 9, “Choral”

Genres and Titles• solopianoworks:32pianosonatas,includingthe“Pathétique,” “Moonlight,”

“Waldstein,” “Appassionata,” “Tempest,” and “Hammerklavier”; many sets of variations and smaller-scale works (for example, Für Elise)

• symphonies:9,including“Eroica”(No.3),“Pastoral”(No.6),and“Choral”(No.9)• otherorchestralworks:overtures,includingEgmont and Leonora• concertos: 5 for piano, including “Emperor” (No. 5); one violin concerto; triple

concerto for piano, violin, and cello• chambermusic:largevariety,including18stringquartets,10sonatasforviolinand

piano, piano trios, including “Ghost” and “Archduke”• oneopera:Fidelio• other vocal works: mass—Missa solemnis, oratorio—The Mount of Olives, song cycle— An die ferne Geliebte (To the Distant Beloved)

Before Beethoven was buried, many admirers who viewed the body snipped locks of his hair as keepsakes. One of these locks has survived, and in 1994 several members of the American Beethoven Society purchased it at auction. Scientific tests were conducted on the hair; these tests revealed that Beethoven suffered from lead poisoning, which may have affected his personality and contributed to his numerous illnesses. Russell Martin documented the history of this particular lock of hair in his book, Beethoven’s Hair (Broadway Books, 2001).


*cyclical structure• materialheardinonemovementrecursinlatermovements• createsstructuralunityinamulti-movementwork

*motive• shortmelodicorrhythmicidea• smallestunitusedtoformamelodyortheme

*scherzo and trio• Italianfor“jest”or“joke”• Beethovensubstitutedthescherzoinplaceofthemenuetasthethirdmovementin

the sonata cycle


• alsointriplemeter,butgenerallymoredramaticthantheelegantmenuet• couldbehumorousorironic• aswiththemenuetandtrio,acontrastingmiddlesection(trio)wasused,andan

A–B–A form resulted (Scherzo–Trio–Scherzo)

*theme and variations • amelodyisstatedandthenundergoesaseriesoftransformations• changescanbemadetomelody,harmony,rhythm,ororchestration• oftenusedinslowmovementofsonatacycle

Required Listening:

Symphony No. 5, op. 67From its compelling opening motive to its triumphant final cadence, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is certainly one of his most recognized and popular compositions. This symphony exhibits cyclical structure: the famous four-note motive—“three shorts and a long”—reappears in various guises in each movement.

Using the related terms, background information, and listening guide that follow, write your own description of Symphony No. 5.

Background InformationGenre: symphonyPerforming forces: symphony orchestra (strings, piccolo, flutes, oboes, clarinets,

bassoons, contrabassoon, trumpets, French horns, trombones, timpani)Date of composition: 1807–1808 (Middle Period)

Listening GuideListen to a recording or watch a video performance of Symphony No. 5. If possible, follow a score while you listen.

First MovementKey: C minorForm: sonata formTempo: Allegro con brioTime signature:

ExpositionFirst Theme Ex. 3.20 Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, 1st mvt: mm. 1–5

• thefour-notemotive—comprisedofashort–short–short–longrhythm—isstatedinunison by clarinets and strings: the descending third is repeated sequentially a step lower

• fermatas arrest the forward drive of this theme, generating tension and a restless character

• thefirstthemegrowsoutofthisinitialstatement:repeatedsequentiallyinaseriesofdescending statements


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Second MovementKey: A flat majorForm: two themes with variationsTempo: Andante con motoTime signature:

Theme AEx. 3.23 Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, 2nd mvt: mm. 1–8

• growsoutofanascendingbrokentonictriadinthelowstrings• characterizedbyelegantdottedrhythms• marked dolce and played legato

Theme B

Ex. 3.24 Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, 2nd mvt: mm. 23–31

• woodwindsandviolinspresentthisnewtheme(whichisbasedontheshort–short–short–long rhythm) marked dolce and legato

• beginsinAflatmajor,butshiftsboldlytoCmajorinm.32

Variation 1• ThemeAisplayedbyviolasandcellosinsmooth,runningsixteenthnotes• ThemeBfollows(unchanged)

Variation 2• ThemeAreturnsinrunningthirty-secondnotesplayedinthelowstrings• ThemeBfollows(unchanged)

Variation 3• ThemeAispresentedbythewoodwindsincontrarymotion• suddenlywithoutpreparation,ThemeBrecursinCmajor

Variation 4• ThemeAisplayedinAflatminor(tonicminorkey)inaclipped,march-likefashion

BridgeEx. 3.21 Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, 1st mvt: mm. 59–63

• growsoutofthefirsttheme• playedfortissimo by the French horns • modulatestothenewkey

Second Theme• newkey:Eflatmajor

What is the relationship between this key and the home key of this movement?

Ex. 3.22 Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, 1st mvt: mm. 63–66

• playedbywoodwindsandfirstviolins• pianoand legato phrases create contrast• therhythmofthefour-notemotive(short–short–short–long)inthecellosandbasses

provides a persistent background to this (more) lyrical theme

Codetta• firstthemematerialdominatesthecodetta, punctuating the close of the Exposition

with decisive perfect cadences

In the performance you listened to, did the conductor observe the repeat signs?

Development• opensboldlywiththeFrenchhorns• drawsprincipallyonTheme1• tensionisgeneratedbytheuseofseveraltechniques,including:1)manipulationand

breaking-down of the four-note figure, 2) filling-in of the interval of a third, 3) inverting the motive, and 4) expanding the passage through forceful repetition

• abruptdynamiccontrastscontributetothedramaticenergy• attheendoftheDevelopment,tensionbuildsthroughrepetitionsofthebasictheme

played fortissimo by the full orchestra in unison

Recapitulation• firstthemereturns,followedbyashort,melancholyoboesolothatresemblesa

cadenza• bridge follows, altered to stay in the tonic key • secondthemereturnssurprisinglyinthekeyofCmajor,notCminorasexpected• Codetta is also in C major, followed by a lengthy Coda, which restores C minor while

it continues to fragment and expand on the first theme


Web

questLook online for P.D.Q. Bach’s (Peter Schickele) New Horizons in Music Appreciation. This recording presents the first movement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 as if it were a sports event being broadcast on the radio, complete with running commentary by announcers “Bob” and “Pete.” It may make you laugh out loud, yet the analysis is completely accurate and guides listeners through the movement’s formal structure and innovative features.

Second MovementKey: A flat majorForm: two themes with variationsTempo: Andante con motoTime signature:

Theme AEx. 3.23 Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, 2nd mvt: mm. 1–8

• growsoutofanascendingbrokentonictriadinthelowstrings• characterizedbyelegantdottedrhythms• marked dolce and played legato

Theme B

Ex. 3.24 Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, 2nd mvt: mm. 23–31

• woodwindsandviolinspresentthisnewtheme(whichisbasedontheshort–short–short–long rhythm) marked dolce and legato

• beginsinAflatmajor,butshiftsboldlytoCmajorinm.32

Variation 1• ThemeAisplayedbyviolasandcellosinsmooth,runningsixteenthnotes• ThemeBfollows(unchanged)

Variation 2• ThemeAreturnsinrunningthirty-secondnotesplayedinthelowstrings• ThemeBfollows(unchanged)

Variation 3• ThemeAispresentedbythewoodwindsincontrarymotion• suddenlywithoutpreparation,ThemeBrecursinCmajor

Variation 4• ThemeAisplayedinAflatminor(tonicminorkey)inaclipped,march-likefashion


Coda• markedpiù mosso• bassoonsbegin,playingThemeAmaterial

Third MovementKey: C minorForm: ABA (ternary form)—Scherzo and Trio replaces the traditional Menuet and TrioTempo: AllegroTime signature:

Scherzo (A)First Theme Ex. 3.25 Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, 3rd mvt: mm. 1–8

• rocketthemeinitiatedbythelowstrings• playedpp

Second Theme Ex. 3.26 Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, 3rd mvt: mm. 19–26

• boldsubsidiarythemeisplayedf by the French horns• recallstheshort–short–short–longrhythmofthefirstmovement

What effect do the fermatas have on the listener?

Trio (B)New key: C major

What is the relationship of this key to the home key?

Ex. 3.27 Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, 3rd mvt: mm. 141–146

• stringsandwoodwindsarefeatured• imitativetexture• inararemoveBeethovengivesthethemetothedoublebasses;inthepasttheyplayed

only a supporting role• thecharacteroftheTrioisplayfulandenergetic,inmarkedcontrasttothedark

Scherzo


Scherzo returns (A)• Theme1isabbreviated• Theme 2 returns pianissimo played now by pizzicato strings and staccato winds• suspense is achieved at the end of the movement by a deceptive cadence that leads

into a transitional passage• the timpani plays the short–short–short–long rhythm softly• ablazingcrescendo leads directly into the final movement (without a break)

Fourth MovementKey: C majorForm: sonata formTempo: AllegroTime signature: c

How does the key of this movement relate to the home key of the entire work?

ExpositionFirst Theme Ex. 3.28 Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, 4th mvt: mm. 1–8

• firstthemeoutlinesthetonicchord• ff trumpets add a majestic touch

BridgeEx. 3.29 Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, 4th mvt: mm. 26–32

• Frenchhornsarefeatured• theBridgeleadstoGmajor

Second Theme Ex. 3.30 Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, 4th mvt: mm. 45–48

• anewtripletfigureintroducesavigoroustheme• thethemeascendsinstepwisemotion,echoedbydescendingfigures• dramaticcontrastsbetweenff and p• containstheshort–short–short–longmotive


CodettaEx. 3.31 Beethoven, Symphony No. 5, 4th mvt: mm. 64–71

• woodwindsandviolasinitiatetheCodetta• Codetta theme descends in four-note fragments

Development• basedonsecondthemematerial:inverted,expanded,andtreatedimitativelybetween

instruments• towardtheendoftheDevelopmenttheScherzothemeisunexpectedlyrecalled,now

pp, played gently by woodwinds and pizzicato strings• extendeddominantpreparationonthenoteGleadsintotheRecapitulation

Recapitulation• allmusicalmaterialreturnsbutremainsinCmajor

Coda• thepiccolostandsoutabovetheorchestra,playingrapidascendingscales• atthePresto (m. 362 ), codetta theme is played quickly, leading in to a bold and

dramatic conclusion• finaltonicchordreiteratedmanytimes

How many times is the final tonic chord repeated?

Summarize the musical features of all four movements by completing the chart below:

Musical Feature First Movement Second Movement Third Movement Fourth Movement

Tempo

Key

Time signature

Form

Character/mood

List five ways in which Symphony No. 5 demonstrates Beethoven’s originality:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.



BeethovenSymphony in A Major, op. 92, no. 7, third movementBeethoven is often viewed as grumpy, ill-tempered and defiant, waving his fist at fate. However, many of his compositions are filled with joy and are sure to elicit a smile from the listener. This movement is a fine example of how Beethoven supplanted the dainty menuet with the more vigorous scherzo. The colorful timpani bursts and extreme range of dynamics add to its exuberant nature.

Piano Sonata in C sharp Minor, Quasi una fantasia, op. 27, no. 2, “Moonlight,” first movementBeethoven provided the subtitle for this sonata, which translates as “almost a fantasy.” Although the composer was uncomfortable with nicknames, many of his works are better known by their familiar descriptive titles assigned by others. This sonata acquired its nickname after the German music critic Ludwig Rellstab wrote in 1836 that it reminded him of the reflected moonlight off Lake Lucerne. The “moonlight” designation certainly corresponds to the contemplative beauty of the opening movement of this sonata. This movement continues to captivate listeners with its emotional depth. As you listen, notice how Beethoven sustains the opening triplet figuration throughout the movement while a limpid melodic line is spun out above it.

Beethoven Works in Celebration Series Perspectives©:Écossaise in G Major, WoO23 (Piano Repertoire 2)Sonatina in G Major, complete (attr. Beethoven, Piano Repertoire 3)Sonatina in F Major, complete (attr. Beethoven, Piano Repertoire 5)Bagatelle, op. 119, no. 1 (Piano Repertoire 7)Für Elise, WoO59 (Piano Repertoire 7)Sonata in G Major, op. 49, no. 2, 1st mvt (Piano Repertoire 8)Rondo in C Major, op. 51, no. 1 (Piano Repertoire 9)Six Easy Variations on an Original Theme, WoO77 (Piano Repertoire 9)Sonata in E Major, op. 14, no. 1, complete (Piano Repertoire 10)

There are in fact over 200 works by Beethoven that were not assigned opus numbers. In 1955 Georg Kinsky and Hans Halm released a catalogue of these works identified by “WoO” numbers. The letters “WoO” stand for “Werke ohne Opuszahl” or “ work without opus number.”


Review and ReflectionElements of Classical Musical StyleNow that you have completed your study of Classical music, consider how the key elements of Classical musical style were revealed in the pieces you studied in this unit.

Give one example (composition title, chosen from the required works studied in this chapter) that best illustrates each of the following style features:

Melody• symmetricalphrases—oftenin Example:Eine kleine Nachtmusik, first mvt

four-measure units

• antecedent/consequentphrases Example: (question and answer)

• influenceoffolkmusic Example:

• rocketthemes Example:

• influenceofvocalmelodyin Example: instrumental music

• two-noteslurs:melodic“sighs” Example:

Formal structure

• multi-movementforms:sonatacycle Example:

• sonataform Example:

• themeandvariations Example:

• rondoform Example:

Harmony

• major/minortonality Example:

• diatonicharmony Example:

• clearlydefinedcadences Example:

Texture

• homophonic Example:

Rhythm

• short,incisivemotives Example:

Dynamics

• explorationofcrescendo/decrescendo Example:

Instruments

• expandedorchestra:fourfamilies Example: of instruments

• newensembles:stringquartet Example:


Compare the musical careers of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven by completing the chart below:

Haydn Mozart Beethoven

Dates

Birthplace

Education

Instruments played

Places of employment

Important patrons

Genres cultivated

Hallmarks of individual style

Your personal comments:If you were listening to an unfamiliar piece of music, what qualities would tell you that it was written in the Classical era? What are the most significant features that identify Classical music?



80

Unit FourThe Romantic Period

(ca 1825 –ca 1900)

In the surging power of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, you likely observed a heightened emotionalism and deeply personal expression—characteristics of Romanticism. Beethoven stands as a titan, straddling the Classical and Romantic periods. With these two style periods, it is difficult to pinpoint a specific year to symbolize the twilight of one era and the dawning of a new one: the roots of Romanticism can be traced as far back as the 1770s, particularly in the literary movement known as Sturm und Drang.

Inspired by the new Romantic spirit found in literature and art, 19th-century composers extended the boundaries of music observed by their Classical and Baroque counterparts. Romantic music has its own unique sound, with characteristic features not frequently heard in music of earlier eras.

Web

questLook online for the following masterpieces of Romantic art: Francisco Goya’s Witches’ Sabbath; Eugène Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People; Caspar David Friedrich’s Wanderer Above the Mist. These paintings exhibit elements that help define the Romantic spirit—an interest in the supernatural, a morbid fascination with death, an awareness of nature, subjective viewpoints, and the uninhibited expression of emotions.


*romanticism• originscanbetracedtolate18th-centuryliteraturethatservedasinspirationforart

and music• reactionagainstclassicism• emphasisoncreativeimaginationandexpressionofemotions

*exoticism in music • importantelementof19th-centurymusicalstyle• fascinationwithforeignlandsandcultures• evokedthroughmelody,rhythm,harmony,andorchestration

*nationalism in music• importantelementof19th-centurymusicalstyle• patriotismexpressedthroughmusic• influenceoffolksonganddance,mythsandlegends,landscapes,historicalevents

*program music• significanttrendin19th-centurymusic• instrumentalmusicwithextra-musicalassociations,(literary,poetic,visual)• descriptivetitleidentifiestheconnection• someworksincludeawrittentextor“program”providedbythecomposer

*rubato • Italianfor“robbedtime”• rhythmicflexibility—speedinguporslowingdown• anexpressivedeviceforinterpretingmusic

Listening for Elements of Romantic Style Choose two of the following pieces. Listen to a recording and identify the stylistic features present in each piece by checking the appropriate box below.

Etude, op. 10, no. 12, “Revolutionary,” by Frédéric Chopin“Trepak,” from The Nutcracker, by Pyotr Ilych Tchaikovsky“The Hut of Baba Yaga,” from Pictures at an Exhibition, by Modest MussorgskyOverture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by Felix Mendelssohn

Selection no. 1

Title:


chromatic harmony

virtuosity

nationalism

exoticism

wide range of dynamics

folk elements

programmatic elements

expanded orchestra

lyrical melody

rubato

Selection no. 2

Title:


chromatic harmony

virtuosity

nationalism

exoticism

wide range of dynamics

folk elements

programmatic elements

expanded orchestra

lyrical melody

rubato

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Unit Four: The Romantic Period (ca 1825 –ca 1900)

82 Unit Four: The Romantic Period (ca 1825 –ca 1900)

Schubert and Erlkönig, op. 1, D 328Perhaps more than any other 19th-century composer, Schubert lived the life of the so-called “bohemian artist.” As a young man, he consciously rejected a secure middle-class existence in order to pursue his art. Unfortunately, Schubert’s short life was plagued by financial struggles and poor health.

While Schubert is best known for his contributions to the German art song, or Lied, he also composed significant works in virtually all genres. His music represents the convergence of two styles: Classicism, as demonstrated by his approach to form, and Romanticism, as seen in the wide range of emotion found in his music.

The Life and Music of Franz Schubert (1797–1828)Use the outline below to write an account of the life and music of Schubert

Family Background and Education• borninVienna,Austria• father(FranzTheodorSchubert)wasaschoolmaster• learnedtoplayviolinandpianoinchildhood;fatherwashisfirstteacher• playedviolainthefamilystringquartet• hisbeautifulvoicegainedhimadmittancetotheImperialChapelchoirschool• esteemedcomposerAntonioSalieritaughthimtheoryandcomposition

Life and Musical Career• trainedtobecomeaschoolteacher;taughtbrieflyathisfather’sschool• begantowritesongsinhislateteens(forexampleGretchen am Spinnrade, Erlkönig)• workedasafreelancemusicianinVienna;livedinpoverty• soldsomesongsthroughprivatesubscription,oftenforaverylowprice• workedbrieflyfortheEsterházyfamilyinHungary• hadadedicatedcircleoffriendsandadmirers,includingrenownedbaritoneJohann

Michael Vogl, but was not widely acknowledged as composer• affluentSonnleithnerfamilyinitiatedmusicaleveningsshowcasinghisworks;events

came to be known as Schubertiades• begantosufferfromsyphilis;healthcontinuedtodeterioratefromthistime• visitedBeethovenonhisdeathbed—theironlymeeting• diedNovember19attheageofthirty-one

The life of Franz Schubert personifies the image of the “bohemian artist,” one who dedicated himself solely to his art rather than the pursuit of material gain. In fact, at the time of Schubert’s death, his possessions were documented as follows: three dress coats, three walking coats, ten pairs of trousers, nine waistcoats, one hat, five pairs of shoes, three pairs of boots, four shirts, nine neckties and pocket handkerchiefs, thirteen pairs of socks, one towel, one sheet, two bed cases, one mattress, one bolster, one quilt, as well as “a quantity of old music.” The total value of these items was significantly less than the cost of his funeral, which was paid for by his brother Ferdinand.

Musical Style and Contributions• combinesClassicalandRomantictraits• Classicismdemonstratedinformalstructures:sonataformwithrepeatedexposition;

variations; symmetrical phrase structures; standard Classical orchestra• Romanticismdemonstratedthroughuseofchromaticharmony—juxtapositionof

major and minor tonality; unexpected modulations

“. . . the product of my genius and misery, and that which I have written in my greatest distress, is

that which the world seems to like best.”

Franz Schubert

1808

1818

182218271828

• influencedbyMozart(lyricalmelodicstyle)andBeethoven(symphonicwriting)• influencedbyGermanRomanticpoets,especiallyJohannWolfgangvonGoethe• closeconnectionoftextandmusicinartsongs:usesharmonytohighlightkeywords

(text painting)• increasedroleofpianoinartsongs:pianoaccompanimentoftendepictsspecific

elements of the poem• introducednewpsychologicalintensityintoindividualsongsandsongcycles• vocallyricismpervadesallofhisworks• sorrowanddeeplypersonalemotionsarereflectedinmanyworks(Death and the

Maiden, Die Winterreise, Fantasy in F Minor)

Genres and Titles• Lieder: 600, including An die Musik, Ständchen, Die Forelle, Heidenröslein, Ave Maria• songcycles:Die Winterreise, Die schöne Müllerin• symphonies:9,includingno.9,“Great,”no.8,“Unfinished”• chambermusic:15stringquartets(includingDeath and the Maiden), “Trout”

Quintet, piano trios, octet for winds, duo sonatas• pianoworks:sonatas,impromptus,moments musicaux, variations, dances, duets• choralmusic:7masses• operas:includingFierrabras

Schubert was one of thirty-eight torchbearers at Beethoven’s funeral. According to his wishes, Schubert was buried near Beethoven in Währing Cemetery in Vienna. In 1888, both Beethoven’s and Schubert’s remains were moved to the Pantheon of Musicians at Vienna’s great Central Cemetery, where they continue to rest side-by-side.

Building a Musical Vocabulary

The terms listed below are associated with Schubert’s songs. Using the key words and phrases provided, write a definition in the Glossary on page 135 for each of the terms marked with an asterisk (*).

*art song• themusicalsettingofapoem• for solo voice, generally with piano accompaniment

*Lied (pl. Lieder) • themusicalsettingofaGermanpoem• forsolovoice,generallywithpianoaccompaniment• flourishedinthe19thcentury

song cycle• acollectionofartsongsunitedbyacentralthemeornarrativethread• intendedtobeperformedtogether

strophic• asongstructurewherethesamemusicisperformedforeachverseofthepoem• asaresult,littleconnectioncanbeachievedbetweenthewordsandmusic

modified strophic• asongstructurewhichallowsforsomerepetitionofmusic• somechangestothemelody,harmony,andaccompanimenttakeplacetoreflectthetext

*durchkomponiert (through-composed)• asongstructurethatavoidsrepetitionofentiresectionsofthemusic• asaresult,melody,harmony,andpianoaccompanimentareabletoreflectthe

meaning of the text

“Here lie rich treasure and still fairer hopes.”

Franz Grillparzer’s epitaph on Schubert’s grave

83Unit Four: The Romantic Period (ca 1825 –ca 1900)


Required Listening:

Erlkönig, op. 1, D 328The Lied represents the perfect union of poetry and music, singer, and pianist. In Schubert’s vast output of Lieder—over 600 have survived—the piano and voice share the responsibility for bringing the poetic images to life.

While Schubert had already composed several Lieder, he chose to designate Erlkönig as his opus 1. This suggests the profound impact that Goethe’s poetry had on the young composer and the impact that this particular poem had on Schubert and his generation. His setting is the quintessential expression of Romanticism.

Using the related terms, background information, and listening guide that follow, write your own description of Erlkönig.

Background InformationGenre: Lied Date of composition: 1815Source of text: poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, inspired by German legend of the

Erlking, a sinister supernatural elf who dwells in the forest; anyone who is touched by him dies

Song type/structure: durchkomponiert Performing forces: solo voice and pianoKey: originally G minor (often transposed to accommodate the vocal range of the

performer)Time signature: c

Tempo: Schnell (German for “fast”)

Summary of textOn a windswept night a father is riding urgently with his ailing son. The boy, in his delirium, sees the Erlking. The menacing elf tries again and again to lure away the frightened child. The boy becomes increasingly fearful and agitated despite his father’s attempts to calm and reassure him. Father and son continue their journey with great urgency. As they arrive at the courtyard, the father looks down to find his son dead in his arms.

Listening GuideListen to a recording or watch a video performance of Erlkönig. If possible, follow a score while you listen.

Piano IntroductionEx. 4.1 Schubert, Erlkönig: mm. 1–3

• vigorousoctavetripletsintherighthand• archedmelodyinthelefthand

What mood is established by the opening?


Text

Original German Poem:Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind?Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind;er hat den Knaben wohl in dem Arm,er faßt ihn sicher, er hält ihn warm.

“Mein Sohn, was birgst du so bang dein Gesicht?” “Siehst, Vater, du den Erlkönig nicht?den Erlenkönig mit Kron’ und Schweif?”“Mein Sohn, es ist ein Nebelstreif.”

“Du liebes Kind, komm, geh’ mit mir!gar schöne Spiele spiel’ ich mit dir;manch’ bunte Blumen sind an dem Strand;meine Mutter hat manch’ gülden Gewand.”

“Mein Vater, mein Vater, und hörest du nicht,was Erlenkönig mir leise verspricht?”“Sei ruhig, bleibe ruhig, mein Kind;in dürren Blättern säuselt der Wind.”

“Willst, feiner Knabe, du mit mir geh’n?meine Töchter sollen dich warten schön;meine Töchter führen den nächtlichen Reih’n,und wiegen und tanzen und singen dich ein.”

“Mein Vater, mein Vater, und siehst du nicht dortErlkönigs Töchter am düster’n Ort?”“Mein Sohn, mein Sohn, ich seh’ es genau:es scheinen die alten Weiden so grau.”

“Ich liebe dich, mich reizt deine schöne Gestalt;und bist du nicht willig, so brauch’ ich Gewalt.”“Mein Vater, mein Vater, jetzt faßt er mich an!Erlkönig hat mir ein Leid’s getan!”

Dem Vater grauset’s, er reitet geschwind,er hält in Armen das ächzende Kind,erreicht den Hof mit Müh’ und Not;in seinen Armen das Kind war tot!

Literal Translation:Who rides, so late, through night and wind?It is the father with his child.He holds the boy in the crook of his armhe clasps him securely, he keeps him warm.

“My son, why do you hide your face so anxiously?”

“Father, do you not see the Erlking?The Erlking with crown and cloak?” “My son, it is a wisp of fog.”

“Dear child, come, go with me!”Many a beautiful game I’ll play with you;Some colorful flowers are on the shore,my mother has many golden robes.”

“My father, my father, can’t you hear,what the Erlking quietly promised me?”“Be calm, stay calm, my child;the wind rustles through dry leaves.”

“Handsome boy, do you want to come with me?My daughters shall wait upon you;my daughters lead the nightly dancesand will rock and dance and sing you to sleep.”

“My father, my father, can’t you see there,the Erlking’s daughters in the shadows?”“My son, my son, I see it well:the old willows they shimmer so grey.”

“I love you, your beautiful form entices me;And if you’re not willing, I shall use force.”“My father, my father, he’s grabbing me now!The Erlking has hurt me!”

The father shudders; he rides swiftly,he holds the moaning child in his arms.He reaches the courtyard weary and anxious;in his arms, the child was dead.

Musical SettingThere are four characters depicted in the poem: narrator, father, son, and Erlking. Schubert distinguishes each character clearly in the music.

• thenarrator’svoicestaysinthemiddleregister• thefather’snotesarepitchedinthelowerregister;hislegato phrases attempt to

maintain a calm mood• thesonreturnsthesinger’svoicetotheupperregister,suggestinghisyouthand

childlike innocence• theErlkingsingsinthemiddleregister,addressingtheboywithaninsincere

sweetness that does not fool the child


You can tell who is singing not just by listening to the words, but by noticing the way Schubert skillfully manipulates musical elements such as vocal register, articulation, and dynamics. The through-composed structure allows the music to mirror the poem’s imagery.

How is musical contrast achieved when the Erlking speaks to the boy the first two times?

Ex. 4.2 Schubert, Erlkönig: mm. 73–74

How is the boy’s panic conveyed musically as he cries out “Mein Vater, mein Vater” (“My father, my father!”)?

How does Schubert build musical tension throughout the rest of the song?

With the words “und bist du nicht willig, so brauch’ ich Gewalt” (“and if you’re not willing, I shall use force”), the Elrking’s sinister nature is revealed. How is this achieved in the music?

The arrival of the surprising A flat major triad on the words “erreicht den Hof mit Müh’ und Not” (“he reaches the courtyard weary and anxious”) was a stroke of genius on Schubert’s part. This chord is the flattened supertonic triad, called the Neapolitan chord, which Schubert used frequently in his music. What effect does it have on the listener here?

List five specific characteristics of Romanticism exemplified in Erlkönig:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

“What I feel in my heart, I give to the world.”

Franz Schubert


Schubert was not the only composer to set Erlkönig to music. This poem ignited the imagination of a whole new generation of composers who held Goethe in awe, including Johann Friedrich Reichardt, Carl Friedrich Zelter, Carl Loewe, and the actress (and composer) Corona Schröter. Beethoven also attempted to set this poem to music, but abandoned the effort. Reinhold Becker “completed” Beethoven’s version in 1897. Listen to at least one of these musical settings and consider the creative choices made by that composer in his or her interpretation of the poem.

Supplemental Listening Activity:

Listening to Franz Liszt’s Transcription of Erlkönig

Many of Schubert’s Lieder were brought to the attention of a wide audience because of the dazzling piano transcriptions made by Franz Liszt. Find at least one performance of Liszt’s Erlkönig transcription on the Internet, and listen to the way Liszt skillfully merges the original voice and piano parts to create a virtuosic solo work.

Pianist featured on recording:

How does Liszt’s transcription go beyond the technical challenges already present in Schubert’s original piano part?

Your comments on the performance:


SchubertGretchen am Spinnrade (Gretchen at the Spinning Wheel)This dramatic portrayal of obsessive love and Romantic yearning is another example of Schubert’s early masterpieces for voice and piano. The text is taken from a scene in Goethe’s Faust in which Gretchen sits alone in her room spinning and struggling with a heavy heart as she finds herself falling in love with Faust. As you listen, notice how the piano accompaniment depicts the circular motion of the spinning wheel and how the vocal line conveys Gretchen’s heightened emotions. The constant spinning motion of the accompaniment stops and the note values increase in preparation for the climax on the word “kiss.” Following this dramatic moment, the spinning accompaniment begins again, hesitantly at first. Schubert saves the highest note in the melody for the phrase “sink and die” in the final verse.

Piano Quintet in A Major, “Trout,” op. 114, D 667, fourth movementSchubert used his own Lieder as the basis for instrumental works on several occasions. The fourth movement of this quintet is a theme and variations based on the melody of Die Forelle (The Trout), a song based on a poem by Christian Friedrich Daniel Schubart. The “Trout” Quintet is an audience favorite. The inclusion of the double bass was unusual for chamber music of the time.


Schubert Works in Celebration Series Perspectives©:Impromptu, op. 142, no. 2 (Piano Repertoire 9)Moment Musical, op. 90, no. 2 (Piano Repertoire 10)

Schubert Works in the Voice Series, Third Edition:Liebhaber in allen Gestalten / A Lover in All Forms, D 558 (Voice Repertoire 2)Seligkeit / Bliss, D 433 (Voice Repertoire 3)Frühlingslied / Spring Song, D 398 (Voice Repertoire 4)An den Mond / To the Moon, D 259 (Voice Repertoire 5)Die Forelle / The Trout, D 550, op. 32 (Voice Repertoire 7)“Wohin?” / “To Where?” from Die schöne Müllerin, D 795 (Voice Repertoire 8)

Chopin and Polonaise in A flat Major, op. 53Unlike any composer of his time, Chopin chose to concentrate almost exclusively on piano music. A national hero in his native Poland, Chopin is universally acclaimed as the “poet of the piano.” His lyricism and progressive harmony opened new worlds of pianistic color, and his use of unique textures and figurations represents the pinnacle of Romantic pianism.

The Life and Music of Frédéric Chopin (1810–1849)Use the outline below to write an account of the life and music of Chopin.

Family Background and Education• fatherwasFrench;emigratedtoPolandasateenager;workedasaFrenchtutorfor

children of upper class families• motherwasPolish• FrédéricborninŻelazowaWola,Poland;familylatermovedtoWarsaw• childprodigy(comparisonsmadetoMozart);gavefirstconcertatagesix• firstpublishedwork(PolonaiseinGMinor)• inearlyteens,beganlessonswithJózefElsner,directorofnewWarsawConservatory; after high school, studied harmony, counterpoint, composition • spentseveralsummersinruralPoland,wherehewasexposedtoPolishfolkmusic

and traditions

Life and Musical Career• inWarsaw,playedinsalonsofPolisharistocratswhowouldlaterbecomehispatrons

and supporters in Paris • plaguedbyfrailhealthanddelicateconstitutionthroughoutchildhoodandyouth• tookashorttriptoVienna;performedhisop.2Variationson Mozart’s “Là ci darem

la mano” (from Don Giovanni) to great acclaim• returnedtoWarsawtocontinuedsuccessascomposerandpianist• departedforanextendedconcerttour;devastatedwhenWarsawwasinvadedby

Russian forces while he was in Vienna; notes in his diary express his shock and horror, and the “Revolutionary” Etude, op. 10, no. 12 was likely composed at this time

• settledinParisalongwithmanyexiledPolishcountrymen;expressedhispatriotismin nationalistic works such as mazurkas, polonaises; did not return to Poland because of continued political unrest and instability

“Simplicity is the final achievement. After one has

played a vast quantity of notes and more notes, it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning

reward of art.”Frédéric Chopin

18171823

1829

1830


• inParis,metmanyimportantmusicians(FranzLiszt,HectorBerlioz),artists(EugèneDelacroix), and writers (Victor Hugo, Heinrich Heine)

• primarysourcesofincomewerefromteachingmembersofaristocracy,andpublishing piano compositions

• performedsurprisinglyfewpublicrecitals,butplayedfrequentlyinsalonsofnobility• hadseveralromanticrelationships,includingbriefengagementtoMariaWodzinska,

whose parents considered him unsuitable because of his fragile health• beganaten-yearloveaffairwithAuroreDudevant,prominentnovelistwhousedpen

name George Sand; composed many significant works during this relationship • spentwinterholidayinMajorca;becameveryillbuteventuallyrecovered;severalof

the opus 28 preludes were written during this time• backinFrance,spentlongperiodsatGeorgeSand’ssummerhomeinNohant;happy,

productive years• romancewithGeorgeSandendedbitterly• traveledtoEnglandandScotlandforperformancesorganizedbydevotedstudentJane

Stirling; his health deteriorated and he was very weak by the end of the trip• diedOctober17atagethirty-nine,surroundedbyfriendsandadmirers• buriedatPèreLachaiseCemeteryinParis;asrequestedbyChopin,hisheartwas

returned to Poland where it rests at the Church of the Holy Cross in Warsaw

To learn more about Chopin and his contemporaries, we recommend you read chapters eight and nine from The Great Pianists by Harold Schonberg. These chapters are entitled “Romanticism and Its Rules” and “Tubercular, Romantic, Poetic.” This entertaining and informative book is a “must read” for any serious piano student.

Musical Style and Contributions• wrotealmostexclusivelyforpiano(orpianowithvoiceorinstruments)• melodiclineshavevocalqualitiesreminiscentofthebel canto style in opera: long

filigree passages, extended embellishments, and ornamental passages are prominent in nocturnes and other lyrical works

• exploredanewharmoniclanguage:chromaticism,unexpectedmodulations,unusualjuxtapositions, and modal inflections

• usedoriginalandinnovativepianisticfigurations:unusualspacingofchords,sweeping arpeggiation, expanded range

• exploitednewcapabilitiesofthepiano;employedgreatervirtuosityinresponsetotechnological advances, for example, cast iron frame allowed for thicker strings that produced fuller tone

• improvisatoryqualitiesinmanyworkssuchasPreludesandImpromptus• musicalnationalisminPolishdancesincludingPolonaise,MazurkaandKrakowiak• influencedbyBach’scounterpoint,Mozart’slyricism,BelliniandDonizetti’sbel canto

style

Chopin’s respect and admiration for the music of J.S. Bach is particularly evident in his set of 24 Preludes (op. 28). As in The Well-Tempered Clavier, Chopin’s collection utilizes all twenty-four major and minor keys, although a different key scheme is employed. Whereas Bach pairs the major keys with their tonic minors, presented in ascending chromatic order, Chopin uses the circle of fifths with major keys coupled with their relative minors. Both collections embrace a wide spectrum of styles and idioms representative of their respective eras.

1836

1838

18471848

1849

“He is the poet of sound.”Heinrich Heine, in Revue et

Gazette Musicale, 1838


Genres and Titles • solopiano:etudes,dances(waltzes,mazurkas,polonaises),nocturnes,preludes,

ballades, scherzos, sonatas, Berceuse, Barcarolle, and Fantaisie in F Minor• pianoandorchestra:concertosinEminorandFminor,variations,Krakowiak• chambermusic:cellosonata,pianotrio• songsforvoiceandpianowithPolishtexts

Since 1927, the Chopin International Piano competition has been held in Warsaw, Poland. It is one of the oldest and most prestigious events of its type in the world. The competition is held every five years, and it attracts the most accomplished young pianists from around the world. Winners have included Maurizio Pollini, Martha Argerich, Garrick Ohlsson, Krystian Zimerman, Yundi Li, and most recently, Rafal Blechacz. Charismatic pianist Ivo Pogorelich rose to fame by not winning this competition in 1980. Following his elimination in the third round, one of the judges, Martha Argerich, made international headlines by resigning from the jury. Despite this controversy, or perhaps as a result of it, Mr. Pogorelich was offered recording contracts and performing engagements immediately after the competition. Be sure to look on the Internet for recordings of these great pianists performing the music of Chopin!


*polonaise• statelyPolishdanceintriplemetertransformedbyChopinintoavirtuosicpiano

composition• oftenproudandmajesticincharacter• oftenincludescharacteristicrhythmicfigures(seeexample4.3)

*chromaticism• fromGreek“khroma”forcolor• extensiveuseofnotesoutsidetheprevailingkeysignature• increasinglyusedforheightenedexpressionin19th-centurymusic

Required Listening:

Polonaise in A flat Major, op. 53In 1830, at the age of twenty, Chopin departed from his native Poland, eager to explore professional opportunities abroad. Although he never returned to his homeland, he kept his patriotism alive through nationalistic piano pieces such as mazurkas and polonaises.

The stately polonaise was often danced in aristocratic circles for the opening of balls. It is characterized by typical rhythmic figures such as the following:

Ex. 4.3 Polonaise Rhythms

Using the related terms, background information, and listening guide that follow, write your own description of Polonaise in A flat Major.


Background InformationGenre: solo piano workDate of composition: 1842Formal structure: ABA1 (with Introduction and Coda) Key: A flat majorTime signature: Tempo: Maestoso

Listening GuideListen to a recording of Polonaise in A flat Major. If possible, follow a score while you listen:

IntroductionEx. 4.4 Chopin, Polonaise in A flat Major, op. 53: mm. 1–3

• opensboldlywithoctavesonthedominant• followedbychromaticallyascendingfirst-inversionchordsinparallelmotion• expandedthroughsequentialrepetition

By what other musical means does Chopin generate tension in the introductory section of this piece?

Section AEx. 4.5 Chopin, Polonaise in A flat Major, op. 53: mm. 17–20


• principalthemeannouncedinrighthand;usescharacteristicpolonaiserhythm• themeisharmonizedinthirdsandornamentedwithgracenotesandappoggiaturas• lefthandplaysoctaveswhichleapvigorouslyoveraspanofthreeoctaves• asweepingascendingscaleisheardthreetimesinthissection,addingvirtuosityand

brilliance

Section BEx. 4.6 Chopin, Polonaise in A flat Major, op. 53: mm. 83–88

New Key: E major

E major is the enharmonic respelling of F flat major, which is the flattened sixth in the key of A flat major. Why did Chopin make this notational adjustment?

• lefthandplaysostinato pattern—staccato octaves• proudmartialcharacterachievedthroughdottedrhythmsandchordaltexture• dramaticshiftdownahalfsteptothekeyofDsharpmajorinmm.116–119

Explain the relationship of D sharp major to the home key:

Ex. 4.7 Chopin, Polonaise in A flat Major, op. 53: mm. 121–124


• newthemeintroducedatm.121• moreintrospective,lyricalstyle;showsinfluenceofbel canto style

Return of Section A (m. 155)• nowshortened

Coda (m. 171)• basedontheprincipalthemeofSectionA• majesticcloseismarkedbyanunorthodoxharmonicprogression:

I–III n 3 (major triad)–V7–I

List four specific technical challenges a pianist will encounter in this virtuosic work:

1.

2.

3.

4.

In the winter of 1838, Chopin, George Sand, and her children traveled to Majorca in hopes of escaping from the winter weather. Unfortunately, instead of sunshine, they found rain and unexpected cold temperatures, and the early symptoms of Chopin’s tuberculosis revealed themselves. As a result, the travelers moved to the deserted monastery at Valdemosa, hardly a glamorous holiday location! The episode is described by Sand in Un Hiver à Majorque (A Winter in Majorca). Her dramatic account of a rainstorm and Chopin’s haunting vision in which he saw himself “drowned in a lake” and felt “the rhythmical fall of the heavy drops of ice water on his breast” ends with the words, “His composition was indeed full of the sound of raindrops that evening . . . .”


ChopinPrelude in D flat Major, op. 28, no. 15, “Raindrop”Chopin’s poetic lyricism, innovative harmonic language and unique pianistic figurations are illustrated in this well-known work. Listen to the relentless repeated notes, perhaps depicting the rhythmical fall of raindrops, as they build up to a dramatic climax in the middle section of the work. You can picture one of the images suggested by George Sand as she described “dead monks and the sound of those funeral chants which haunted him . . .”

Etude in C Minor, op. 10, no. 12, “Revolutionary” To hear an example of Chopin’s virtuosic writing, listen to this magnificent study. Besides serving as a thorough workout for the left hand, the etude expresses powerful emotions—grief, anxiety, and despair, and is a frequently performed work in the repertoire of many pianists.

Chopin Works in Celebration Series Perspectives©:Prelude in E Minor, op. 28, no. 4 (Piano Repertoire 7)Prelude in B Minor, op. 28, no. 6 (Piano Repertoire 8)Nocturne in C sharp Minor, op. posth./KKIVa 16 (Piano Repertoire 9)Waltz in G flat Major, op. posth. 70, no. 1, CT 217 (Piano Repertoire 9)Nocturne in F sharp Major, op. 15, no. 2 (Piano Repertoire 10)Polonaise in C sharp Minor, op. 26, no. 1 (Piano Repertoire 10)Etude in A flat Major (Piano Studies/Etudes 10)

“Chopin’s works are cannons buried in flowers.”Robert Schumann


Berlioz and Symphonie fantastique One of the ways in which Hector Berlioz stands apart from his contemporaries is that he was not a virtuoso performer. He himself acknowledged that this left him free to explore the unique capabilities of each instrument in the orchestra. Like many Romantic composers, Berlioz sought to find connections between music and literature; the writings of Shakespeare, Byron, and Goethe especially fired his imagination. Berlioz documented the details of his colorful life in an autobiography—one of only a handful of composers to have done so. His eccentric personality is exemplified by his notorious and highly publicized romantic infatuations and affairs, one of which became the inspiration for Symphonie fantastique. In many respects, Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique is the epitome of Romanticism.

The Life and Music of Hector Berlioz (1803–1869) Use the outline below to write an account of the life and music of Berlioz.

Family Background and Education• borninCôte-Saint-André,nearLyon,France• fatherwasaphysician• beganmusicstudiesatagetwelve—learnedtoplayguitarandflute,butnotpiano• wenttoParistostudymedicine;lostinterestandfoundhistruepassionformusic;his

parents were disappointed when he quit medical school• beganformalmusicstudiesattheParisConservatoire• likemanyofhiscontemporaries,BerliozfellunderthespellofBeethoven’smusic;this

had a long-lasting effect on the evolution of his style; a biography of Beethoven and a series of essays on the nine symphonies were among Berlioz’s literary works

• afterthreefailedattempts,finallywonthePrixdeRome,thehighesthonorawardedto composition students; this prize required him to live and study in Rome; he also traveled to other Italian cities

Life and Musical Career• careerlaunchedwiththecelebratedpremiereofSymphonie fantastique • metFranzLisztandbegananimportantfriendshipthatwouldlastfordecades• marriedShakespeareanactressHarrietSmithson,whowastheinspirationfor

Symphonie fantastique (he had been obsessed with her for years); they had a son Louis • successfulcareerasaconductor;appearedinmajorEuropeancities;garnered

international acclaim in England, Germany, and Russia• prolificwriter,critic,andauthor:majorworksincludeGrand traité d’instrumentation

et d’orchestration modernes (Treatise on Modern Instrumentation and Orchestration) and an autobiography, Mémoires

• awardsincludedprestigiousLégion d’honneur, the highest decoration in France, in recognition of his accomplishments

• marriageendedinseparation;BerliozmovedinwithsingerMarieRecio,althoughhestill supported Harriet

• followingHarrietSmithson’sdeath,BerliozmarriedMarieRecio• diedMarch8;buriedwithbothwivesinMontmartrecemetery

Musical Style and Contributions • highlyindividualandiconoclastic;asanon-pianist,hefreelyexploredorchestral

writing on his own terms, unrestricted by pianistic conventions• anavidreader;influencedbyShakespeare,Byron,Goethe,VictorHugo,WalterScott• influencedbyBeethoven(dramaticpower,cyclicalelements,additionofchorus)• vividandoriginalapproachtoorchestration;createdunusualinstrumentaleffects• expandedsizeandmake-upoftheorchestra,oftenspecifyinggrandioseperforming

forces

“Love cannot express the idea of music, while music may give

an idea of love.”Hector Berlioz 1821

1826

1830

1830

1833

1844

18541869


• preferredlarge-scaleforms(symphony,oratorio);wrotefewsmallworksandcharacterpieces

• embracedprogrammaticwritinginprogramsymphoniesandconcertovertures• withWagnerandLiszt,advocated“MusicoftheFuture,”amodernaesthetic

embracing progressive chromatic harmony, thematic transformation, and cyclical forms

Genres and Titles• program symphonies: Symphonie fantastique, Harold in Italy, Romeo and Juliet• concertovertures:Waverley, Rob Roy, Le Corsair, King Lear• songcycle(voicewithorchestra):Les nuits d’été• operas:Les Troyens, Béatrice et Bénédict, Benvenuto Cellini• choralworks:La damnation de Faust, Te Deum, Requiem• oratorio:L’enfance du Christ

Berlioz was familiar with the slings and arrows of futile love. Before he married Harriet Smithson, he was engaged briefly to a pianist named Camille Moke. When he arrived for his stay in Italy after winning the Prix de Rome, he learned that Camille was to marry a wealthy piano manufacturer. Enraged, Berlioz meticulously planned his jealous revenge: he would go back to Paris and murder Camille, her mother, and her fiancé. He purchased special pistols, poisons, and even a maid’s costume, which he intended to use to gain entrance to Camille’s apartment. Fortunately, Berlioz calmed down before he got to Paris and didn’t go through with his plans. For a wonderful full-length telling of this bizarre but true story, view Volume 3 of “The Story of the Symphony” (BBC TV, 1984: available on video). Narrated by conductor André Previn, this video also includes a detailed discussion of the symphony’s innovative features and a complete performance by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Building a Musical VocabularyThe terms below are related to Symphonie fantastique. Using the key words and phrases provided, write a definition in the Glossary on page 135 for each of the terms marked with an asterisk (*).

*program symphony• 19th-centurymulti-movementorchestralwork• modeledafter18th-centurysymphonywithprogrammaticelements• includes a descriptive title• accompanyingtextoftenoutlinestheprogram

*idée fixe • Frenchfor“fixedidea”• devisedbyBerlioz• arecurringthemewhichundergoestransformation• servesasaunifyingthreadinamulti-movementcomposition• inSymphonie fantastique, represents “the beloved”

*ophicléide• brassinstrument,nowobsolete• predecessorofthetuba *portamento• Italian for “carrying”• atechniqueofslidingsmoothlyfromonenotetothenext• originallyavocaltechnique• adaptedbyBerliozasanovelinstrumentaltechnique


Web

quest

Before you study the fifth movement in detail, listen to highlights of each of the first four movements and answer the questions below:

First Movement: “Reveries, Passions” (Rêveries, Passions)Key: C minor—shifting to C majorTempo: Largo—later becoming Allegro agitato e appassionato assai at the idée fixe,

which represents his belovedTime signature: c

Program: in his drugged stupor, the weary musician recalls the yearning and passion that his beloved ignited in him

Ex. 4.8 Berlioz, Symphonie fantastique, 1st mvt, idée fixe: mm. 72–86

Which instruments introduce the idée fixe theme for the first time?

Second Movement: “A Ball” (“Un bal”)Key: A major Tempo: Allegro non troppoTime signature: (waltz)Program: he (the lovesick artist) dreams that he is attending a glittering ball; he glimpses

his beloved

To depict the elegance of a ballroom scene, Berlioz uses some instruments not usually included in an orchestra. What are they?

Third Movement: “Scene in the Fields” (“Scène aux champs”)Key: F major Tempo: AdagioTime signature: Program: He escapes to the countryside in search of tranquility. While he listens to the

lonely piping of shepherds his thoughts return to the beloved and his soul is filled with foreboding.

*col legno• Italianfor“withthewood”• novelstringeffectinventedbyBerlioz• playerstaponthestringswiththewoodenpartsoftheirbows

*cloches • Frenchfor“bells”• pitchedpercussioninstrument• emitsaringingsoundwhenstruckwithamalletorhammer

*Dies irae• Latinfor“dayofwrath”• a monophonic chant melody dating from late Middle Ages, • drawnfromRomanCatholicrequiem(MassfortheDead)• 19th-centuryaudienceswouldhaveassociatedthetunewithfuneralservices

Required Listening:

Symphonie fantastiqueThis spellbinding composition vividly demonstrates Berlioz’s youthful imagination and the Romantic fascination with the supernatural and the bizarre. Even today, audiences are mesmerized by the unique orchestration and the way it mirrors the macabre plot. After you listen to Symphonie fantastique, try to imagine the impact it made on the audience of Berlioz’s day!

Symphonie fantastique: Épisode de la vie d’un artiste is a program symphony. This new genre evolved when 19th-century composers merged the multi-movement structure of the Classical symphony with the descriptive nature of program music. Beethoven actually opened the door to this creative development with his sixth symphony, the “Pastoral,” which depicted various aspects of nature. The five-movement construction and descriptive titles of that work were unprecedented in the Classical era.

Using the related terms, background information, and listening guide that follow, write your own description of Symphonie fantastique. Include an overview of the entire work and a detailed account of the fifth movement.

Background Information English translation of full title of this work: Fantastic Symphony: Episode in the Life of an

ArtistDate of composition: 1830Sources of inspiration: longstanding infatuation with actress Harriet Smithson;

revolutionary climate of the time, including public executions; controversial literary works

General program: a lovesick artist takes opium in an attempt to commit suicide; the drug, too weak to kill, puts him into a deep sleep; we glimpse his dreams and nightmares which are haunted by visions of his beloved (Harriet Smithson)

Performing forces: symphony orchestra (expanded)

While Berlioz’ unrequited obsession for Harriet Smithson was the principal inspiration for Symphonie fantastique, there were other specific influences. The emerging Parisian middle class lived vicariously through the exploits and adventures found in sensational journals such as Thomas de Quincey’s Confessions of an English Opium-Eater. (In his own memoir, Berlioz admitted to his own brief experimentation with opium.) The revolutions in Europe brought macabre public spectacles such as the execution of poet André Chénier, and spawned Victor Hugo’s Le dernier jour d’un condamné (The Last Day of a Condemned Man). Berlioz’ program notes and vivid musical imagery demonstrate a clear connection to these contemporary events and literary works.


Web

questThe medieval melody Dies irae was composed by the Catholic monk Thomas of Celano in the 13th century. You can find sound clips of vocal performances of this chant by entering “Dies irae” into your search engine.

Before you study the fifth movement in detail, listen to highlights of each of the first four movements and answer the questions below:

First Movement: “Reveries, Passions” (Rêveries, Passions)Key: C minor—shifting to C majorTempo: Largo—later becoming Allegro agitato e appassionato assai at the idée fixe,

which represents his belovedTime signature: c

Program: in his drugged stupor, the weary musician recalls the yearning and passion that his beloved ignited in him

Ex. 4.8 Berlioz, Symphonie fantastique, 1st mvt, idée fixe: mm. 72–86

Which instruments introduce the idée fixe theme for the first time?

Second Movement: “A Ball” (“Un bal”)Key: A major Tempo: Allegro non troppoTime signature: (waltz)Program: he (the lovesick artist) dreams that he is attending a glittering ball; he glimpses

his beloved

To depict the elegance of a ballroom scene, Berlioz uses some instruments not usually included in an orchestra. What are they?

Third Movement: “Scene in the Fields” (“Scène aux champs”)Key: F major Tempo: AdagioTime signature: Program: He escapes to the countryside in search of tranquility. While he listens to the

lonely piping of shepherds his thoughts return to the beloved and his soul is filled with foreboding.


Which instruments are used to portray the shepherds’ lament?

What specific instructions did Berlioz provide for the performance of this movement?

Fourth Movement: “March to the Scaffold” (“March au supplice”)Key: G minorTempo: Allegretto non troppoTime signature: c

Program: He dreams that in a fit of jealous passion he has killed his beloved and been sentenced to death. He is marched to the scaffold for his execution. As his head is laid on the chopping block, his last thought is of his beloved. That thought is interrupted by the fall of the blade, and his severed head tumbles to the ground.

How does Berlioz musically depict the artist’s head tumbling to the ground after the decapitation?

Fifth Movement: “Dream of a Witches’ Sabbath” (“Songe d’une nuit de sabbat”)Listen to a recording or watch a video performance of the complete fifth movement of Symphonie fantastique. If possible, follow a score while you listen.

Key: opens in C minorTempo: begins Larghetto but later changes to AllegroTime signature: begins in Program: Berlioz outlined the program as follows:

“He sees himself at a witches’ sabbath, in the midst of a hideous gathering of sorcerers and monsters of every kind who have come together for his funeral. Strange sounds, groans, outbursts of laughter; distant shouts which seem to be answered by more shouts. The beloved melody appears once more, but has now lost its noble and shy character; it is now no more than a vulgar dance tune, trivial and grotesque: it is she who is coming to the sabbath . . . Roars of delight at her arrival . . . She joins the diabolical orgy . . . The funeral knell tolls, burlesque parody of the Dies irae, the dance of the witches. The dance of the witches combined with the Dies irae.”

What is the general mood of the introduction?

How does Berlioz achieve such spectral sounds?


Ex. 4.9 Berlioz, Symphonie fantastique, 5th mvt; idée fixe: mm. 21–24

• newkey:Eflatmajor• idée fixe transformed: the beloved has become one of the witches • idée fixe played by clarinet, in gigue-like rhythm, with trills and grace notes • exampleofthematictransformation—idée fixe now sounds vulgar and grotesque• upcoming“DanceoftheWitches”isbrieflyforeshadowedbytheominouschimingof

bells on the tonic and dominant notes

Ex. 4.10 Berlioz, Symphonie fantastique, 5th mvt, Dies irae: mm. 127–134

• newkey:Cminor• Dies irae intoned solemnly by the bassoons and ophicléide, repeated by the brass

choir in diminution.• twobronzebells,oneinCtheotherinG,areused.

Why do you think Berlioz quoted the Dies irae theme at this point in the symphony? How does it tie in with the program?

Ex. 4.11 Berlioz, Symphonie fantastique, 5th mvt, “Dance of the Witches”: mm. 241–242

• newkey:Cmajor• fugaltexture• mockingtoneheightenedbystabbingsyncopatedchords• jarringdissonance• “DanceoftheWitches”combinedwiththeDies irae• col legno employed

What do you think Berlioz is portraying with these effects?

List five specific characteristics of Romanticism exemplified in Symphonie fantastique:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.



BerliozLélio ou Le retour à la vie, op. 14b: first movementBerlioz composed this unique work in Rome in 1831 as a sequel to the Symphonie fantastique. This monodrama features a single actor who awakens from his drug-induced nightmare exclaiming, ”God! I am still alive!” Music and narration are entwined, with clever references to Berlioz’s famous idée fixe. This movement tells of a fisherman’s futile resistance to the beguiling song of the sirens. Of whom was Berlioz thinking when he created this work? Camille or Harriet? Perhaps it was both women.

Puccini and Madama Butterfly Giacomo Puccini began his composing career in the shadow of another famous Italian opera composer, Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901). That Puccini was able to forge a wholly new operatic style is as much a testament to his genius as to his uncanny ability to gauge the public’s taste. Puccini and his contemporaries tapped into audiences’ fascination with melodrama, fast-paced action, and devastating emotional entanglements. By advocating more realism in Italian opera, they created a movement called verismo.

The Musical Style and Contributions of Giacomo Puccini (1858–1924)Puccini’s sweeping melodic curves and poignant harmonies are greatly admired, but if any one aspect of his operas stands out, it is the vivid musical portraits of his heroines. These women stay with us long after the curtain has fallen. With Mimi, the consumptive seamstress from La bohème, Tosca, the diva from the opera with the same name, or Cio-Cio-San, the young geisha from Madama Butterfly, Puccini suggests both fragility and strength.

Puccini’s Musical Style• passionforoperaignitedwhenhesawVerdi’sAida as a teenager • firstmajorsuccess,Manon Lescaut (1893) was followed by numerous others• suprememelodistasdemonstratedinmanymemorablearias• melodiesexhibitgreatflexibilityandsuppleness,bendingandmovinggracefully• createsarubato-like effect through continual changes of tempo indicated in the

score • ariasfrequentlybegininupperregisterandworktheirwaydownward• greatvarietyinorchestralcolor• orchestrausedtocreateatmosphere,projectcharacter• employedviolinata technique (doubling vocal parts with instrumental lines)• frequentlydrawntothemelodramaticaspectsoftheverismo style• exoticismevidentinchoiceofsettingsandsubjectmatter(Turandot, Madama

Butterfly, Girl of the Golden West)

Genres and Titles• operas:12,includingMadama Butterfly, La bohème, Tosca, and Turandot

Building a Musical Vocabulary The following terms are related to Puccini’s musical style and his opera Madama Butterfly.


“I have had a visit today from Mme Ohyama, wife of the

Japanese ambassador. She told me a great many things and sang

some native songs to me. She has promised to send me some Japanese music. A story such

as Butterfly’s is known to her as having happened in real life.”

Giacomo Puccini


*exoticism in music (see Glossary)

*opera• dramathatissung• combinesvocalandinstrumentalmusicwithdrama(stagingandacting),visualarts

(costume and scenery), and often dance • componentsincluderecitative,arias,ensembles,andchoruses• createdinItalyaround1600

*prelude (in opera)• an orchestral work, serving as an introduction to an opera• used from mid-19th century in place of traditional overture• no prescribed form• often included themes to be heard later in the opera

*verismo• Italianfor“realism”• operastylethatbecamepopularinItalyduringthe1890sandearly1900s• storylinesoftenprojectagrittyrealismwhichusuallyculminateinaviolentending• Pucciniwasthemasterofthisstyle

*pentatonic scale• ascaleconsistingoffivedifferentpitches,forexample,C–D–F–G–A• easilyrenderedbyplayingthefiveblackkeysonthepiano• commontothefolkmusicofmanyEuropeanandAsiancultures

*whole-tone scale• anon-traditionalscaleemployedbycomposersofthelate19thand20thcenturies• consistsofsixdifferentpitches,allspacedawholetone(wholestep)apart,for

example, C–D–E–F#–G #–A#–C

*aria• Italianfor“air”• asolosongheardinanopera,oratorio,orcantata• highlyemotional,oftenvirtuosic• mayhavelyricalordramaticcharacter

*recitative (see Glossary)

parlando• Italianfor“speech-like”• performinginadeclamatorystyle

violinata• orchestraldoublingofthevocalline• adeviceusedfrequentlybyPuccini

Required Listening:

Madama ButterflyMadama Butterfly tells the tragic story of a Japanese geisha who marries an American naval officer, only to have him abandon her and return three years later with his American wife.

Using the background information and listening guide that follow, write your own description of Madama Butterfly. Include a brief plot summary and incorporate related terms where appropriate.

Background InformationGenre: Italian verismo opera (Puccini called it a tragèdia giapponese)Source of plot: based on a play by David Belasco


Librettists: Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica Date of premiere: 1904

At the turn of the 20th century, sparked by the Paris World Exposition of 1889, Europeans were fascinated by all things Asian. Writers and artists of this era were intoxicated by the exotic locales and the sights, sounds, and scents of the far-eastern cultures. Puccini’s Madama Butterfly demonstrates this fascination and has an interesting genesis. David Belasco’s play was based on a novella by John Luther Long (1898), who had been inspired by Pierre Loti’s semi-autobiographical novel, Madame Chrysanthème (1887). The timeless nature of this story is exhibited in a modern-day version, Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Miss Saigon (1989).

Principal CharactersName Voice type Description Cio-Cio-San soprano a fifteen-year-old geisha known as ButterflySuzuki mezzo soprano Butterfly’s housekeeper and friendB.F. Pinkerton tenor Benjamin Franklin, a lieutenant in the US Navy Sharpless baritone the US consul in Nagasaki

Additional CharactersKate Pinkerton Pinkerton’s American wifeGoro a marriage brokerPrince Yamadori a wealthy suitorThe Bonze Cio-Cio-San’s uncleTrouble Cio-Cio-San’s (and Pinkerton’s) son

Place and TimeA house on a hilltop in Nagasaki, Japan; about 1900.

Plot SynopsisAct OnePinkerton rents a house for 999 years, amused by the fact that he may cancel the contract at any time. He looks forward to his quaint Japanese wedding; he will remain steadfast, at least until he takes on “a real American wife.” Butterfly arrives; she is so in love with Pinkerton; the price she has had to pay is to turn her back on her disapproving family and her religion. They wed and celebrate their blissful union in a rapturous duet.

Act Two, Scene OneAlmost three years later, Butterfly still waits daily for the promised return of her husband. Suzuki tries to comfort Butterfly; their financial desperation causes her to doubt Pinkerton will ever return. Butterfly angrily defends her husband; in her famous aria “Un bel dì vedremo,” she declares her faith and love. Sharpless, Pinkerton’s close friend, comes to the house intending to break the sad news: Pinkerton is about to return to Japan accompanied by his American wife. Sharpless is stunned to learn that Butterfly has borne her husband a beautiful son; he leaves without delivering the disturbing news about Pinkerton. A gunshot from the harbor announces the arrival of Pinkerton’s ship; Butterfly and Suzuki fill the house with blossoms to welcome him home. Night begins to fall as Butterfly, Suzuki, and Trouble wait patiently for Pinkerton to ascend from the harbor.

Act Two, Scene TwoNight turns to day; Pinkerton has not yet arrived; Butterfly is persuaded to retire to the


next room to sleep a little. A few moments later, Sharpless and Kate arrive; they announce that Pinkerton wants to take the boy back to America. Butterfly enters and guesses the tragic circumstances; she agrees to give up her son only if Pinkerton comes for the boy himself. Butterfly cannot face a life of shame and humiliation; taking the dagger once used by her father to commit suicide, she is about to stab herself when Suzuki pushes the boy into the room in order to distract his mother. Butterfly bids a tearful farewell to her son then sends him off to play. Just as she stabs herself, Pinkerton’s voice is heard from off in the distance calling out her name.

When Puccini saw Belasco’s play in London in 1900 he understood very little English; however, the scene that impressed him the most was Butterfly’s seemingly endless nocturnal vigil as she waits for her husband to ascend from the harbor to the house. That scene, along with the naturalistic lighting effects that made it so compelling, was preserved by Puccini in the opera at the end of Act Two, but he enhanced it with a remarkable orchestral intermezzo that accompanies the scene.

Listening GuideListen to a recording or watch a video of Madama Butterfly. If possible, follow a score while you listen.

Prelude to Act IEx. 4.12 Puccini, Madama Butterfly, Prelude to Act 1: opening theme

Tempo: AllegroTime signature: Key: C minorTexture: contrapuntal (fugal)

• shortinlength—approximately67measures• leadsdirectlyintotheaction• featuresstrings• markedvigoroso• agitatedqualityachievedthroughaggressivearticulation, strong accents, incisive

rhythms, and the accumulation of fugal voices• thispolyphonicsection(aEuropeanelement)standsinmarkedcontrasttothemany

monophonic passages heard later in the score (Japanese element)

Act II, Scene 1, Butterfly’s Aria: “Un bel dì vedremo”Sung by: Cio-Cio-San (Butterfly) to Suzuki, in response to Suzuki’s doubts that

Pinkerton will ever return to JapanSummary of text: “One fine day his ship will appear on the horizon. Upon landing, he will ascend to this

hilltop house in search of me. I shall hide, out of playfulness, but also so as not to die in his embrace. He will call me by his pet names for me. That is how it will be.”

Formal structure: ABAC


Section AEx. 4.13 Puccini, Madama Butterfly, Act II, Scene 1, “Un bel dì vedremo”: Section A

Tempo: Andante molto calmoKey: G flat majorTime signature: • beginswith“Unbeldi,vedremo...”(“Onefineday...”)• homophonictexture• openingmelodydisplayscharacteristicfeaturesofPuccini’sstyle:Itbeginshigh,

slowly works its way down, contains frequent leaps of 3rds and 4ths, and employs violinata

• rubato-like effect through continual changes of tempo (rit., rall., etc.)

Section BEx. 4.14 Puccini, Madama Butterfly, Act II, Scene 1, “Un bel dì vedremo”: Section B

• beginswith“Mimettolàsulcigliodelcolle...”(“Iwandertothecrestofthehill...”)• timesignaturechangesto• useofpentatonicminormelody,implyingFminor• markedcon semplicità (with simplicity)• recitative-like parlando style achieved through fast-repeated notes, often on the same

pitch, supported by sustained orchestral chords

Section A• beginswith“pernonmorirealprimoincontro...”(“soIdon’tdieatthefirst

encounter . . .”)• markedcon forza, recommencing on high G flat on the word “die” (tragic

foreshadowing)• melodiccontoursameasbefore,butdeliverednowwiththequasi-parlando effect of

the previous passage


Section C• beginswith“Tuttoquestoaverrà...”(“Allthiswillhappen...”)• recitative-likestylemaintained• melodyrisesbroadly,buildinginpitchandvolume,totheclimactichighBflatonthe

words “await him”• orchestralpostludepresentsprincipalthemeonelasttime

List five specific characteristics of Romanticism exemplified in Madama Butterfly:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.


Through the Eyes of the DirectorJudging from the hostile reception of the opening-night audience, it may seem surprising that Madama Butterfly has become one of the most beloved operas ever written. Stage and screen directors are continually drawn to the tragic story of Cio-Cio San. Today, operas such as Madama Butterfly are reaching wider audiences than ever before thanks to the popularity of DVDs, the Internet and, more recently, live broadcasts in movie theaters around the world!

Choose two (or more) productions of Madama Butterfly available on video, and watch Act Two, Scene One, which you have already studied. Consider carefully the visual and musical aspects of each performance and answer the questions below. Here are three productions you might want to look for:

Madama Butterfly (1974)• directedbyJean-PierrePonnelle;conductedbyHerbertvonKarajan;titlerolesungby

Mirella Freni• filmedonasoundstageforEuropeantelevision

Madame Butterfly (1995)• directedbyFrédéricMitterand;titlerolesungbyYingHuang• filmedonlocationinJapan;veryrealisticlooking

Madama Butterfly (2005)• directed by Robert Wilson; conducted by Edo de Waart; title role sung by Cheryl

Barker• recordedinAmsterdambeforealiveaudience;ahighlystylizedproductionwith

minimalist staging

Video 1

Director:

Conductor:

Title role sung by:

Overall impressions:


Video 2

Director:

Conductor:

Title role sung by:

Overall impressions:

Of the two productions you watched, would you recommend one of them over the other, and if so, why?

If you were to see a live performance of Madama Butterfly in a theater, how do you suppose the experience would compare with watching the opera on a screen?

What can the director achieve in a filmed version of the opera that cannot be achieved in a live staged performance, or vice versa?


PucciniLa bohème: “Che gèlida manina” (“Your tiny hands are frozen”) and “Mi chiamano Mimì” (“They call me Mimi”)Puccini is renowned for his show-stopping arias, and here he delivers back-to-back classics. Rodolfo, the idealistic romantic poet encounters Mimì, the simple, sensitive seamstress on the stairwell of their Parisian garret. They are immediately smitten, and their tale of doomed love unfolds. These arias are structured for maximum emotional impact and demonstrate Puccini’s stirring melodies and effective text setting.

Web

questGreat performing artists often have “signature works” associated with them. In the case of the great soprano Maria Callas, her amazing and unique ability, commitment and musical conviction is forever associated with the aria “Vissi d’arte” from Tosca. Search for this riveting interpretation on the Internet. She was also part of several complete recordings of Tosca, Puccini’s tale of love, honor, and deceit.



An Introduction to CarmenWhile Georges Bizet’s precocious talent as a student garnered him the Prix de Rome, his fame rests on his exotic and passionate opera Carmen. The fascinating characters, engaging arias, orchestral color, and rhythmic vitality all contribute to this work’s enduring popularity. Sadly, Bizet did not live long enough to enjoy Carmen’s acclaim and international success.

Since its highly controversial premiere, this opera has captivated audiences with its dramatic story, smoldering passions, memorable arias, lively Spanish rhythms, orchestral color and remarkable characters. The role of Carmen is one of the most sought-after mezzo soprano roles of all time. Carmen’s gypsy heritage has resulted in her status as a social outcast. She is a sensuous, free-spirited, and fiercely defiant character. The hopelessly smitten and emotionally complex soldier Don José competes with the swaggering bullfighter Escamillo for Carmen’s affections. The super-charged emotions and Spanish color can overshadow the composer’s progressive musical and unifying structural elements—recurring motives of fate, love and death. The chromatic harmony and ethnic flavor, as demonstrated in the unprecedented dance-arias of the habañera and seguidilla, add to the appeal and staging possibilities.


*habañera• Cuban dance-song•• characteristic rhythmic motive, often used as an ostinato

Ex. 4.15 habañera rhythm.

The melody of the habañera in Carmen was not actually composed by Bizet. Having heard this tune earlier, and under the mistaken impression that it was a folksong, Bizet incorporated it into his opera. Only later did he learn that the original song, entitled El arreglito (The Little Arrangement), wascomposedbytheBasquecomposerSebastiándeYradier.

Supplementary ListeningYou may enjoy watching a video of this enduring classic. Look for the 1984 film directed byFrancescoRosi starring JuliaMigenesandPlácidoDomingo.Act I featuressomeofBizet’s most beloved melodies, including the habañera “L’amour est un oiseau rebelle.”


Review and ReflectionElements of Romantic Musical StyleConsider how the following elements of Romantic musical style were revealed in the pieces you studied in this unit, and give one example (composition title, chosen from the required works in this chapter) for each:

melody

• lyricalandexpansive Example:

• showsinfluenceoffolksonganddance Example:

harmony

• increasedchromaticism Example:

• explorationofmoreremotetonal Example: centers (for example, mediant and submediant)

formal structure

• expansionanddevelopmentoflarge Example: forms

• cyclicalstructure,linkingof Example: movements

• miniatureforms:Lieder, Example: character pieces

rhythm

• greaterflexibilityintempo; Example: use of tempo rubato

dynamics

• expandeddynamicrange;more Example: specific markings included in scores

orchestral instruments

• orchestraexpandedtoincludeharp, Example: English horn, tuba

piano

• technologicalimprovements: Example: cast iron frame, thicker strings, double escapement

• newgenresdisplaythegreater Example: virtuosity now possible


Now that you have sampled several compositions from the 19th century, comment on the following features of Romantic style as they relate to specific composers and works studied in this book and also from your own repertoire:

expressive harmony

heightened emotionalism

expanded virtuosity

programmatic element

What do you like best about Romantic music?



110

Unit FiveThe Modern Era

No other period in history witnessed the type of rapid technological advancement that took place after 1900. Contemporaries of Beethoven could not possibly have imagined that within a mere one hundred years, a flying machine would be invented, and that sixty years later a man would land on the moon! The phonograph, radio, tape recorder, computer, and Internet have expanded our awareness of music on a global scale. A myriad of classical and popular music styles have been developed, many embracing new technology and cross-cultural elements. With the popularization of devices such as MP3 players and satellite radio, an even wider variety of music is readily and immediately available to anyone who chooses to listen.

In the art world during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Impressionism and Expressionism were two important movements. Listed below are some features of each.

Impressionism• astyleofpaintingdevelopedinlate19thcentury• ledbyFrenchpaintersClaudeMonet,ÉdouardManet,andEdgarDegas• consciousreactiontoearliermoreformal,“learned”style• featurednewtechniquesexploredtheplayoflight• newtextures,suchasvisiblebrushstrokes• subjectmatterdrawnfromeverydaylife

Expressionism• VienneseartmovementledbypainterssuchasWassilyKandinskyand

Oskar Kokoschka• depictedhumanangst,obsessions,andcompulsions• imagerywasoftenexaggerated,distorted,evennightmarish

Web

questLook on the Internet for the following masterpieces of Impressionist art: Claude Monet’s Impression, Rising Sun and Georges Seurat’s A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of la Grande Jatte. For examples of Expressionist art, look for Edvard Munch’s The Scream and Wassily Kandinsky’s Composition VII. Take note of how the qualities of Impressionism and Expressionism outlined above are reflected in these paintings. You can also find Impressionist and Expressionist artwork by visiting the official websites of museums like The Art Institute of Chicago, The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Musée d’Orsay, and the Louvre.

In the literary world of the late 19th century, Symbolism was an important trend. The works of the Symbolist poets were characterized by the evocation of moods and sensations rather than matter-of-fact statements and descriptions. Listed below are some features of Symbolism.

Symbolism• late19th-centuryFrenchliterarymovement• soughttoevokeratherthandepict• writersexperimentedwithunorthodoxgrammarandsyntax• ledbyCharlesBaudelaireandhispoemCorrespondances; other important figures

were Paul Verlaine, Stéphane Mallarmé, and Arthur Rimbaud

Building a Musical VocabularyMost music written after 1900 has a distinct sound compared to music of earlier eras. Often the first thing we recognize as “different” is the harmony; the music may sound dissonant or unfamiliar to us because the chords and scales used are not the same as those used by composers in Baroque, Classical and Romantic music. In the modern era, the whole concept of tonality and the idea of writing music “in a key” began to change.

The terms below are all related to harmony and tonality in modern music. Using the key words and phrases provided, write a definition in the Glossary on page 135 for each of the terms marked with an asterisk (*).

expanded tonality• theuseofextremelychromaticharmonywhilestillmaintainingallegiancetoatonal

center

*polytonality• thesimultaneoususeoftwoormoretonalcenters

*modal scales• useofscales(modes)inwhichthepatternofwholestepsandhalfstepsisdifferent

from conventional major and minor scales (for example: Dorian, Lydian, Mixolydian)• commoninmusicoftheMiddleAgesandRenaissance;rediscoveredby20th-century

composers

*atonality• thetotalabsenceofanytonalcenter• characterizedbyunresolveddissonances

twelve-tone method • atonalmusicbasedonanarrangementofalltwelvechromaticpitches(tonerow)• developedbycomposerArnoldSchoenberg

*pentatonic scale (see Glossary)

*whole-tone scale (see Glossary)

Listening for Elements of Modern StylesChoose two of the following pieces. Listen to an audio recording or watch a video and identify the stylistic features present in each piece by checking the appropriate boxes below.

Roumanian Dances,byBélaBartókLa fille aux cheveux de lin (The Girl With the Flaxen Hair), by Claude DebussySarcasms no. 2, by Sergei ProkofievPierrot lunaire, no. 1, “Moonstruck,” by Arnold SchoenbergSymphony, op. 21, 2nd mvt, by Anton Webern

111Unit Five: The Modern Era

112 Unit Five: The Modern Era

Selection no. 1

Title:


expanded tonality

atonality

polytonality

modality

pentatonic scale

folk elements

whole-tone scale

twelve-tone method

Selection no. 2

Title:


expanded tonality

atonality

polytonality

modality

pentatonic scale

folk elements

whole-tone scale

twelve-tone method

Debussy and Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune Debussy is without a doubt the most influential French composer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His music reflects many features of late Romanticism, while also anticipating future developments. As a young man, Debussy found inspiration in the luminous subtlety of the Impressionist painters, and in the sensuous, evocative works of the Symbolist poets. The Paris World Exposition of 1889 kindled his fascination with all things exotic. By assimilating these influences, Debussy created a truly unique musical style.

“A century of airplanes deserves its own music—since there are no precedents I must create anew.”

Claude Debussy


The Life and Music of Claude Debussy (1862–1918)Use the outline below to write an account of the life and music of Debussy.

Family Background and Education• borninSt-Germaine-en-Laye,France• fatherwasachinashopowner• motherwasaseamstress• beganpianolessonsatage7• enteredParisConservatoire• aspiredtobeaconcertpianist,butinterestsoonturnedtocomposition• teachersincludedAntoine-FrançoisMarmontel(piano),ÉmileDurand(harmony),

and Ernest Guiraud (composition)• receivedmanyawardsandgoldmedalsattheConservatoire• awardedPrixdeRomeforcantataL’enfant prodigue• stayed at Villa Medici in Rome where he explored a range of genres

Life and Musical Career• enjoyed a varied career as a pianist, collaborative artist, conductor• turbulentprivatelife;hadseveralscandalousromanticrelationships• employedaspianoteacherforfamilyofNadezhdavonMeck,Tchaikovsky’spatron• musiccriticfortheRevue blanche, artistic journal published in Paris• traveledtoBayreuthandbecameinterestedinWagner’smusic,whichhelaterrejected• attendedParisWorldExposition;exposedtoAsianartandmusicincludingJavanese

gamelan ensemble• gainedfameandnotorietywithpremiereofPrélude à l’après-midi d’un faune• marriedfirstwife,Rosalie(“Lilly”)Texier,whomhelaterleft• reputationenhancedwithpremiereofoperaPélléas et Mélisande• marriedEmmaBardac;theirdaughterClaude-Emma(“Chou-Chou”)wasborn1905• interactedwithmanyprominentcontemporarycomposersinParis,including

Gabriel Fauré, Erik Satie, Ernest Chausson, Maurice Ravel, and Igor Stravinsky• diedofcancerMarch25,justpriortotheendofWorldWar1

Musical Style and Contributions• highlyoriginalandinnovative;influentialbothinFranceandinternationally• influencedbyImpressionistpainters:parallelsdrawninchoiceofsubjectmatter,

instrumental color, understated nuances, and obscuring of metric pulse• setthepoetryofSymbolistpoetsCharlesBaudelaire,StéphaneMallarmé,Pierre

Louÿs, and Paul Verlaine to music• liketheSymbolistpoets,heexperimentedwithunorthodoxapproachestogrammar

and syntax through formal structure and phrasing; evoking rather than narrating, suggesting rather than depicting

• exploredWesternandnon-Westernscalesystems,includingwhole-tone,pentatonic,and modal scales

• innovativeapproachestoharmony:parallelchordstreams;openfifthsandoctavesreminiscent of the earliest polyphonic practices (organum); quartal harmony (chords built on fourths)

• varieduseofrhythm(forexamplefree-flowingandrhapsodic,motoric,dancecharacter)• programmaticelements(pastoral,waterimagery,sunlight,moonlight)• drawntomythologicalthemes• oftenwittyandsatirical• returnedtosonataforminlaterworks

1862

1872

1884

1880

1889

1899

1909

1918


Genres and Titles• orchestralworks:symphonicpoem—Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune suites—

La mer; Images; Nocturnes• solopiano:Suite bergamasque; Pour le piano; Estampes; Images; Préludes (two books);

Études; Children’s Corner; several character pieces • vocalworks:FrenchartsongsincludingBeau Soir, Mandoline and song cycle

Chansons de Bilitis • opera:Pélléas et Mélisande • ballet:Jeux• chambermusic:stringquartet,sonatasforviolinandpiano,celloandpiano

Building a Musical VocabularyUsing the key words and phrases provided, write a definition in the Glossary on page 135 for each of the terms marked with an asterisk (*). * Impressionism in music• reflectsFrenchartisticmovement• employsexpandedharmonicvocabulary:wholetone,modal,pentatonicscales;

parallel chords• suggestsimagesratherthandirectlydepicting• featuresinnovativeorchestralcolors,includingindividualtreatmentofinstruments

and use of muted instruments• obscuringofmetricpulse

*antique cymbals• smallbrassdisks(fingercymbals)• produce a gentle ringing sound when struck together *glissando• derivedfromFrenchglisser, “to slide”• ontheharp,aquickstrummingofallthestringswithabroadsweepinghand

movement; creates beautiful, shimmering effects

*Symbolism• Frenchliterarymovementofthelate19thcentury• symbolistwritersincludePaulVerlaineandStéphaneMallarmé• authorssoughttosuggestsubjectmatterratherthandepictitspecifically• stressesthebeautyoftheworditself

*symphonic poem• oneofthemostpopularformsoforchestralprogrammusic• singlemovementwork,generallyinfreeform,withliteraryorpictorialassociations• inventedbyFranzLiszt

Required Listening:

Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faunePrélude à l’après-midi d’un faune is a symphonic poem based on a pastoral poem by Mallarmé. Although this work was composed in 1894, it exhibits musical characteristics identified with 20th-century style. This is one of Debussy’s best-known orchestral works, and it vividly demonstrates his luminous, subtle style.

Like the Impressionist painters who inspired him, Debussy sought to suggest rather than depict. In his orchestral works, the instrumental lines are frequently muted, like the soft edges in an Impressionist painting; he uses a large orchestra for color rather than power; and he creates a floating, suspended quality by minimizing strong rhythms through the use of ties and parallel writing.

“ Any sounds in any combination and in any succession are

henceforth free to be used in a musical continuity.”

Claude Debussy


Using the related terms, background information, and listening guide that follow, write your own description of Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune

Background InformationGenre: symphonic poem (tone poem)Date of composition: 1894Formal structure: loose ternary structure (ABA1)English translation of title: Prelude to “The Afternoon of a Faun”Source of inspiration: a Symbolist poem (pastoral) by Stéphane Mallarmé Performing forces: strings—violins, violas, cellos, double basses, harps woodwinds—flutes, oboes, English horn, clarinets brass—French horns percussion—antique cymbalsKey signature: begins and ends with four sharpsTime signature: begins with Tempo: Très modéré

Listening GuideListen to a recording or of Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune. If possible, follow a score while you listen.

The original poem describes a faun, a mythological character of the forest who is half man, half goat. He is visited by three lovely nymphs, or was this just a dream? The hazy, dreamy quality of the poem is captured in Debussy’s sensuous music.

Section AEx. 5.1 Debussy, Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, Section A, opening theme: mm. 1–2

Section A, opening theme: mm. 1–2

• despite the key signature (four sharps) the tonality is deliberately ambiguous• theopeningmelody,playedbytheflute,descendschromaticallyfromCsharptoG,

outlining a tritone• mysteriousatmospheredepictstheopeningofMallarmé’spoem:nymphsintheir

“gossamer embodiment, floating on the air . . .” • fluid,rhythmicapproach:figuresoftenflowacrossbarlinesandobscuremetric

accents• innovativeorchestration,featuringharpglissandi, muted horns, and muted strings

Section BEx. 5.2 Debussy, Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, Section B, new theme: mm. 37–39

Section B, new theme: mm. 37–39


Ex. 5.3 Debussy, Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, Section B, contrasting theme: mm. 55–58

• twonewthemesareintroducedbythewoodwinds• contrastiscreatedthroughmoreactive,animatedrhythm• exoticatmosphereevokedbyclarinetstracingrapidwhole-tonescales• stringsoftenmoveinparallelmotion;gentle,floatingsoundcreated• modulations(includingDflatmajor)andpressingsyncopationsbuildtoaneffective

climax

Return of Section A• modifiedversionoftheopeningthemeusinglongernotevalues(augmentation)• soloflutenowoutlinesaperfectfourth;clarifiesEmajortonality• antiquecymbalsaregentlystruckinthefinalsection

The overall structure creates a “statement–departure–return” sequence familiar from earlier eras. Flexibility of form contributes to the spontaneous, rhapsodic character.

At the beginning of this unit you looked at samples of Impressionist art. Now that you are familiar with this famous impressionist piece, what parallels do you observe between the works of the Impressionist painters and the music of Debussy?


Debussy“Sirènes,” from NocturnesThe third movement of this enchanting work is scored for orchestra and female chorus. In Greek mythology, sirens were creatures—half-woman, half-bird—that lured sailors to their deaths with their mesmerizing songs. In this movement, the female voices sing a textless incantation, conjuring and beckoning the listener with their alluring refrain. With a seductive two-note motive, Debussy draws the listener into a luminous, watery dreamscape from which it is hard to escape.

“Golliwog’s Cakewalk,” from Children’s Corner In this charming piano piece, Debussy captured the European fascination with American jazz in general and the syncopated rhythms of ragtime music in particular. The “golliwog” was a soft-cloth doll that resembled a caricaturized minstrel, and in his suite Debussy assigned the cakewalk—an African-American dance—to the doll from the child’s toy shelf. The frisky music, with its brusque left-hand part accompanying a snappy right-hand melody, is rendered all the more playful by a “serious” musical reference in the middle section—a quotation from the opening of Wagner’s opera Tristan und Isolde. Was this intended as a reverential homage to the German composer? Or was Debussy impishly mocking this operatic giant?


Debussy Works in Celebration Series Perspectives©:La fille aux cheveux de lin (The Girl with the Flaxen Hair) (Piano Repertoire 9)Arabesque no. 1 (Piano Repertoire 10)

Stravinsky and PetrushkaWhen TIME magazine selected “people of the century” for its special Millennium 2000 issue, the classical musician chosen was Igor Stravinsky. His phenomenal career spanned the century and he both revolutionized and defined stylistic trends. Stravinsky probably reached his widest audience as a result of his music being included in the Disney animated feature Fantasia.

The Life and Music of Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971)Use the outline below to write an account of the life and music of Stravinsky.

Family Background and Education• bornJune17inOranienbaum,nearSt.Petersburg,Russia• father(Fyodor)wasahighlyrespectedoperasinger(bass)attheMariinskyTheatrein

St. Petersburg• motherwasacompetentsinger,fluentpianist• well-to-dofamily;hadearlylessonsinpianoandharmonybutparentsdiscouraged

musical career• enteredlawschoolatUniversityofSt.Petersburg;alsotookprivatemusictheory

lessons • hemetVladimirRimsky-Korsakovinlawschool,sonoffamousRussiancomposer,

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov; through this connection, he met the master composer, who mentored him for several years

• devotedhimselftomusicanddidnotgraduatefromlawschool

Life and Musical Career• married childhood friend and cousin, Katerina Nossenko• earlyorchestralpiece—Fireworks—impressed Sergei Diaghilev, director of Les Ballets

Russes in Paris • earlyballetscommissionedbyDiaghilevlaunchedStravinsky’scareer:The Firebird

(1910), Petrushka (1911)• The Rite of Spring (choreographed by Nijinsky) premiered in Paris; primitive sounding

music and unconventional choreography shocked the audience; a riot erupted • soughtrefugeinSwitzerlandbecauseofWorldWarI• inresponseto1917revolution,severedtieswithRussia(didnotreturn,eventovisit,

until 1962)• returnedtoParis;collaboratedwithleadingartisticluminariesincludingDiaghilev

and Pablo Picasso• visitedUnitedStatesonseveraloccasionsinlate1930s:conducted,performed,and

completed commissions• firstwifediedafterlongillness—secondwifewasVeradeBosset• lecturedatHarvard,UniversityofCalifornia,LosAngeles,andUniversityofSouthern

California; eventually settled in Los Angeles• becameanAmericancitizen• inlate1940s,beganlongandimportantfriendshipwithAmericancomposer/

conductor Robert Craft, (author of Conversations with Stravinsky and Chronicles of a Friendship)

• diedApril6inNewYorkCity• buriedontheislandofSanMichele,Venice,Italy,afewyardsfromthegraveofSergei

Diaghilev

“. . . a form of communion with our fellow man—and with the Supreme Being.”

Igor Stravinsky

1882

1901

1913

1914

1920

1939

1971


Impresario Sergei Diaghilev and the Ballet Russes played a critical role in establishing Stravinsky’s career. Diaghilev was a successful promoter of Russian music who founded the Ballet Russes in Paris in 1909. Diaghilev commissioned works from other famous composers, including Debussy, Ravel, and Richard Strauss, but he worked the longest and most closely with Stravinsky.

Musical Style and ContributionsStravinsky’s groundbreaking musical style encompasses a broad spectrum, from the post-Impressionism of his earliest works to the twelve-tone works of his later years. His career can be organized into four principal periods.

The Early Years (1882–1914)• Russiannationalismexpressedthroughuseoffolksonganddanceandchoiceof

subject matter• influencedbyrichorchestrationofRimsky-Korsakov• primitivestyle:drivingrhythms,primalenergy,percussiveapproach• otherfeaturesincludeuseofdissonantharmony,polytonality,ostinato,

synocopation, polymeter

Representative Works: The Firebird, Petrushka, The Rite of Spring

The Transitional Years (1914–1920)• createdmoreintimateworkswithreducedforcesinresponsetothedevastation

wrought by World War 1• seedsofneo-Classicalstylearesown

Representative Works: The Wedding, The Soldier’s Tale

The Middle Years (1920–1954)• neo-Classicalstyleadoptedwithemphasisonformaldesign,absolutemusic• emotionalrestraint,balance,discipline,cooldetachment Representative Works: Symphony of Psalms, Ebony Concerto, The Rake’s Progress

The Final Years (1954–1971)• embracedArnoldSchoenberg’stwelve-tonemethod• sparsetexturesinspiredbyAntonWebern• exploredminiatures

Representative Works: Agon, Canticum Sacrum

Genres and Titles• ballet:The Firebird, Petrushka, The Rite of Spring (Le sacre du printemps), Pulcinella,

The Card Party, Agon• orchestralworks:Symphonies of Wind Instruments, Concerto for Piano and Wind

Instruments, Violin Concerto in D, Ebony Concerto, Symphony in C • choralworks:Symphony of Psalms, Persephone, Threni, Canticum Sacrum, Requiem

Canticles• staged/theatrical:The Nightingale, The Wedding, The Soldier’s Tale, The Flood• operas:Mavra, The Rake’s Progress• opera/oratorio:Oedipus Rex• songcollections,solopiano,chambermusic

“My music is best understood by children and animals.”

Igor Stravinsky


Building a Musical VocabularyThe terms below are related to the music of Stravinsky. Using the key words and phrases provided, write a definition in the Glossary on page 135 for each of the terms marked with an asterisk (*).

*ballet• highlystylizedtypeofdancewhichofteninterpretsastory• firstdevelopedinthe17thcenturyatthecourtofLouisXIV• 19th-century ballet reached its zenith at the Russian court• Russiandancersdominatedtheballetscenethroughoutmostofthe20thcentury

*choreography • theartofdesigningthedancestepsandmovementsinaballet(ormusical)

cadenza• asolopassageheardinaconcerto,aria,oranylargeorchestralwork• oftenofavirtuosicnature• suggestsanimprovisedstyle

*primitivism • aneffectcreatedlargelythroughrhythm• useofstrongaccents,heavysyncopation,polyrhythms,expandedpercussionsection• demonstratedbestinStravinsky’sThe Rite of Spring

commedia dell’arte • inItalian,“comedyofartists”• improvisedcomedytraditiondatingbackto16th-centuryItaly• “stock”charactersincludedColumbina,Arlecchino,Pantalone,Pulcinella,and

Scaramuccia

hurdy-gurdy• aportablestringinstrumentdatingbacktotheMiddleAges• stringsarecontainedinawoodencase• onehandturnsacrank(handle)whichactivatesacircularbowinside,whiletheother

hand plays a keyboard that stops the strings

*changing meter• shiftofmetricalgroupings• manifestedthroughchangesoftimesignature

*folk song• songsofunknownauthorship• passeddownthroughoraltraditionratherthanwrittendown


*Petrushka chord• adissonantpolychordusedbyStravinskyinhisballetPetrushka• consistsofaCmajorandFsharpmajorarpeggio, played together• usedasasignaturethemeforthecharacterofPetrushka:

Ex. 5.4 Stravinsky, Petrushka: Petrushka chord

*flutter tongue• rollofthetonguewhileplayingawindinstrument,asifsoundingaletter“r”• innovativeeffectintroducedin20th-centurymusic• usedbyStravinskyinThe Rite of Spring

Required Listening:

Petrushka (1st tableau)Petrushka tells the story of a puppet who comes to life and has the capacity to love but whose “life” ends in tragedy. This ballet was one in a long line of groundbreaking works created by Diaghilev and Les Ballets Russes. Audiences responded to the work’s poignant story, its vibrant color and pageantry, and its Russian folk elements. Petrushka was highly original not only in terms of its music but also in its approach to choreography. While the Ballerina character exhibited traditional 19th-century dance movements and gestures, Petrushka’s choreography featured leaping and flailing motions. Even though the Petrushka character originated in the comic tradition of the commedia dell’arte, in the end he lingers in our memory as a tragic figure.

The title character of Stravinsky’s Petrushka is a stock character from the Russian puppet theater tradition. Like the English “Punch” and Italian “Pulcinella,” Petrushka is a clown or jester, often wearing a red jacket and a pointy hat. “Petrushka” is also the Russian word for parsley.

Using the background information and listening guide that follow, write your own description of the First tableau of Petrushka. Include a brief plot summary and incorporate related terms where appropriate.

Background InformationGenre: balletDate of composition: 1911Choreographer: Michel Fokine Story line: written by Stravinsky and Alexandre Benois, influenced by Russian folk

traditionPerforming forces: large orchestra with an expanded percussion section including piano,

xylophone, and celesta Principal characters: the Showman and three puppets: Petrushka, the Ballerina, and the

MoorSetting: St. Petersburg, Russia in the 1830s


Plot SummaryThe events unfold during the Shrovetide festival (Maslenitsa), held during the three days before Lent. As with similar Christian celebrations such as Mardi Gras or Carnival, Shrovetide includes public merry-making, carnival booths, food vendors, and entertainment.

First tableau (the Shrovetide fair)Crowds celebrate at the local fairground. The main attraction is a large puppet theater in which the Showman dazzles the onlookers by bringing three large puppets to life. The puppets dance for the audience.

Second tableau (Petrushka’s room)Locked away in his cell-like room, Petrushka reveals human emotions: frustration with the Showman and love for the Ballerina. He tries unsuccessfully to escape. When the Ballerinaenters,shedancesstifflyaroundtheroomwithoutreturninghisaffection.

Third tableau (the Moor’s room)The Moor occupies himself with silly amusements; when the Ballerina enters, he is attracted to her and tries to show off to impress her. Petrushka enters, but is chased by the jealous Moor.

Fourth tableau (the Shrovetide fair)At the fairground the crowds continue their revelry. Suddenly, the three puppets appear, with the Moor in hot pursuit of Petrushka. The Moor kills Petrushka with one quick stroke of his saber. The Showman is called to the scene by an officer, who demands an explanation. To the astonishment of the onlookers, the Showman demonstrates that the lifeless form on the ground is merely a puppet. The crowd disperses. While the Showman drags Petrushka’s body away, he is startled by the puppet’s ghost, which taunts him from the rooftop of the puppet theater, suggesting that perhaps Petrushka was a real person after all.

Listening GuideListen to a recording or watch a video performance of Petrushka (first tableau). If possible, follow a score while you listen.

First tableauPart One: “The Crowd Revels at the Shrovetide Fair”Tempo: VivaceForm: Rondo (ABACABA)

Section A: Crowd SceneEx. 5.5 Stravinsky, Petrushka, first tableau, Section A: Crowd Scene

• pentatonicmelodyannouncedbyflute• changingmeters,syncopation,andmarkedaccents• colorfulorchestrationconveysfestivecarnivalatmosphere


Section B: Song of the Drunken BeggarsEx. 5.6 Stravinsky, Petrushka, first tableau, Part One, Section A: Song of the Drunken Beggars

• StravinskyquotestheRussianfolksong:Song of the Drunken Beggars (Volochebniki)• homorhythmictextureandnarrowerrangecreatescontrastwithSectionA• repetitionoffive-notedescendingfigure

Section A Returns• modified,withbrassinterruptions

Section C: Hurdy-Gurdy PlayerEx. 5.7 Stravinsky, Petrushka, first tableau, Part One, Section A: Hurdy-Gurdy Player

• firstdancetune:beginsintriplemeter,playedbyclarinets• suggeststhesoundofthe“hurdy-gurdy”

Ex. 5.8 Stravinsky, Petrushka, first tableau, Part One, Section A: Second Dance Tune

• seconddancetune:beginsinduplemeter,playedbyflutes• apre-existingtuneStravinskyhadheardplayedbyastreetmusician

Section A returnsSection B returnsSection A returns

Part Two: “The Arrival of the Showman”Tempo: LentoForm: through-composed (free form)

Ex. 5.9 Stravinsky, Petrushka, first tableau, Part Two: The Showman’s Cadenza

• onstage,theShowman“plays”anextendedflutecadenza to bring the puppets to life• rhapsodiccharacterachievedthroughwidemelodicspanandfermatas that interrupt

the melodic flow• airofmysteryfurtherenhancedbythesoftchromaticaccompanimentplayedby

winds, strings, and harp


Part Three: “The Puppets Come to Life”Tempo: AllegroForm: rondo (ABABA)

Section A: Russian danceEx. 5.10 Stravinsky, Petrushka, First tableau, Part Three, Section A: Russian Dance

• pianoandxylophoneplaybriskpercussivechordsmovinginparallelmotion

Section B: Russian folk songEx. 5.11 Stravinsky, Petrushka, First tableau, Part Three: St. John’s Eve folk song

• oboeandstringsquotetheRussianfolksongSt. John’s Eve; echoed by the piano• rhythms aggressively accented• shortostinato-like fragments accompany the animated choreography of the puppets

Section A returnsSection B returnsSection A returns• suddenending,withlongtrumpetnote

Vaslav Nijinsky, the “star” dancer of the Ballet Russes, danced the title role in Petrushka. It is said he could dance en pointe, a feat rarely achieved by male dancers of his time. In 1912 he danced the first performance of The Faun to Debussy’s gossamer tone poem Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune. Both his skin-tight costume and his modern choreography caused a near riot in the theater. He is buried today in Montmartre Cemetery in Paris. On top of his grave sits a life-size bronze statue of the legendary dancer dressed as Petrushka, the hapless puppet that he first brought to life in the City of Light.


StravinskyThe Rite of Spring, Part One: IntroductionSince May 29, 1913 music has never been the same! Watch a video of the opening section of The Rite of Spring; even today’s audiences are mesmerized by the striking primitivism that characterizes this ballet. Listen for novel instrumental effects such as the bassoon in its extreme high register and the strings used in a percussive manner. The meter, which changes in virtually every measure, contributes to the primordial evocation of pagan rituals. In 1938, Walt Disney used the opening section of this work in the animated film Fantasia to accompany his visual depiction of a prehistoric landscape.


Required Listening:

West Side StoryWest Side Story has become an American classic. Its songs and dances are symbols of the American social and cultural mosaic.

This timeless musical is a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare’s tragic tale of “star-crossed lovers” is set in New York City in the 1950s. Instead of two noble Italian families, there are two rival street gangs, the Jets (American) and the Sharks (Puerto Rican). The ill-fated romance is between Maria, a Puerto Rican girl, and Tony, a member of the Jets. The poignancy and drama of the story is heightened through memorable songs and electrifying dance sequences. The unique blending of serious and popular music with a strong jazz influence is apparent in this work, which gives it a distinct flavor. At the time, West Side Story’s violent, tragic conclusion was unprecedented in the Broadway world, which favored cheerful, frothy musicals.

Using the background information and listening guide that follow, write your own description of West Side Story. Include a brief plot summary and incorporate related terms where appropriate.

Background InformationComposer: Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990)Genre: musical theaterDate: 1957Source of plot: Shakespeare’s Romeo and JulietLibrettist: Arthur Laurents (playwright) and Stephen Sondheim (lyricist)Choreographer: Jerome RobbinsFilm: directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins (1961)

Principal CharactersName Voice type DescriptionMaria soprano Puerto Rican girl, sister of BernardoTony tenor member of JetsBernardo baritone leader of SharksRiff baritone leader of JetsAnita mezzo soprano girlfriend of Bernardo

Plot SummaryThe plot parallels the love affair and final tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. The audience is initially introduced to the two rival gangs and observes the hostility between them. Later, Maria and Tony meet at a dance and fall in love. Tension builds between the two gangs and leads to a fight in which Bernardo stabs Riff. Tony in turn stabs and kills Bernardo, Maria’s brother. In the final scene, Tony is stabbed by another member of the Sharks. Maria arrives but Tony is already dead.

Web

quest

Ebony Concerto, third movementThis work was written in 1945 for clarinetist Woody Herman and his big band “The Thundering Herd.” It demonstrates Stravinsky’s affinity for the American jazz idiom. In this cheerful movement, you will enjoy hearing another side of Stravinsky’s creative voice.

Web

questTo fully appreciate the power of Stravinsky’s ballets, go online and search for videos of The Rite of Spring, Petrushka, or The Firebird. For The Rite of Spring, it is especially interesting to compare the original 1913 version (re-created by the Joffrey Ballet in 1987) with more modern interpretations by choreographers like Maurice Béjart and Pina Bausch.

Leonard Bernstein and West Side Story Leonard Bernstein displayed a versatility and personal magnetism that made him a larger-than-life figure in American music circles. A multi-faceted musician, he pursued many avenues, as a conductor, pianist, recording artist, composer, and educator. He had an uncanny sense of the role that mass media could play in popularizing music; in the 1960s he used the medium of television to captivate the imagination of young listeners with what became a very famous series of “Young People’s Concerts.”

The Musical Style and Contributions of Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990)Bernstein’s music reflects the energy and optimism of post-war America. Although he was classically trained at Harvard University and the Curtis Institute, he was a leader in breaking down the barriers separating “serious art music” from more popular styles. He forged a musical language that combined the spirit of African-American jazz with the vibrant Latin dance rhythms that were so popular at the time.

Bernstein’s Musical Style• influenced by classical forms and idioms• integratedAmerican,Hispanic,Jewishelements• absorbedpopular,jazz,andmusicaltheaterelements• vibrantorchestrationahallmarkofstyle• melodicstylefusespopularandclassicalelements• rhythmsdrawnfrompopulardancestylesandjazztradition• harmoniclanguagedissonantbutessentiallyneo-Classical

Genres and Titles• musicals:On the Town; Wonderful Town; Candide; West Side Story• operas:Trouble in Tahiti, A Quiet Place• ballets:Fancy Free; Facsimile; Dybbuk • filmscore:On the Waterfront• chorusandorchestra:Chichester Psalms; Songfest; Mass• orchestralworks:3symphonies,includingno.1,“Jeremiah”;no.2,“TheAgeof

Anxiety”; and no. 3, “Kaddish”; Serenade• chamber music including Prelude, Fugue and Riffs (clarinet and jazz ensemble)• incidentalmusic,songs,songcycles,includingI Hate Music

“The key to the mystery of a great artist is that for reasons unknown, he will give away

his energies and his life just to make sure that one note follows

another . . . and leaves us with the feeling that something is right

in the world.”Leonard Bernstein


Required Listening:

West Side StoryWest Side Story has become an American classic. Its songs and dances are symbols of the American social and cultural mosaic.

This timeless musical is a modern retelling of Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare’s tragic tale of “star-crossed lovers” is set in New York City in the 1950s. Instead of two noble Italian families, there are two rival street gangs, the Jets (American) and the Sharks (Puerto Rican). The ill-fated romance is between Maria, a Puerto Rican girl, and Tony, a member of the Jets. The poignancy and drama of the story is heightened through memorable songs and electrifying dance sequences. The unique blending of serious and popular music with a strong jazz influence is apparent in this work, which gives it a distinct flavor. At the time, West Side Story’s violent, tragic conclusion was unprecedented in the Broadway world, which favored cheerful, frothy musicals.

Using the background information and listening guide that follow, write your own description of West Side Story. Include a brief plot summary and incorporate related terms where appropriate.

Background InformationComposer: Leonard Bernstein (1918–1990)Genre: musical theaterDate: 1957Source of plot: Shakespeare’s Romeo and JulietLibrettist: Arthur Laurents (playwright) and Stephen Sondheim (lyricist)Choreographer: Jerome RobbinsFilm: directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins (1961)

Principal CharactersName Voice type DescriptionMaria soprano Puerto Rican girl, sister of BernardoTony tenor member of JetsBernardo baritone leader of SharksRiff baritone leader of JetsAnita mezzo soprano girlfriend of Bernardo

Plot SummaryThe plot parallels the love affair and final tragedy of Romeo and Juliet. The audience is initially introduced to the two rival gangs and observes the hostility between them. Later, Maria and Tony meet at a dance and fall in love. Tension builds between the two gangs and leads to a fight in which Bernardo stabs Riff. Tony in turn stabs and kills Bernardo, Maria’s brother. In the final scene, Tony is stabbed by another member of the Sharks. Maria arrives but Tony is already dead.

Web

questAre you familiar with the plot of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet? Use the Internet to learn more about this famous play. You can find plot summaries, descriptions of characters, thematic discussions, and much more. When you do your search, try combining Romeo and Juliet with West Side Story to find comparisons between the two works.


Related TermsThe terms below are all related to West Side Story. Using the key words and phrases provided, write a definition in the Glossary on page 135 for each of the terms marked with an asterisk (*).

*musical• auniquelyAmericangenre• aplaywithspokendialoguebutfeaturingmusicalnumbers:songs,dances,choruses• staging(sets,costumes,lighting)isoftenspectacular

*verse–chorus structure • acommonsongstructureinpopularmusic• versesdevelopthecharacter/storyline,whilethe“chorus”actsasatunefulrefrain

*mambo• adanceofAfro-Cubanoriginspopularinthe1940sand1950s• moderatelyfast• usuallycharacterizedbyrhythmicostinatos as well as “riff” passages (short melodic

ostinatos) for wind instruments

*cha-cha• apopularCubandanceoftheearly1950s,derivedfromthemambo• itsnameisderivedfromthesoundofitscharacteristicrhythm

Ex. 5.12 cha-cha rhythm

*hemiola • atemporaryshiftofthemetricaccents• notesgroupedinthreesaremomentarilygroupedintwosorvice-versa

Ex. 5.13 hemiola

*tritone• thenameusedtodescribeintervalofanaugmentedfourthordiminishedfifth• madeupofthree(‘tri”)wholesteps(“tones”)

Listening GuideListen to a recording of “Maria” and “America” from West Side Story, or watch the 1961 Oscar-winning movie starring Natalie Wood. If possible, follow a score while you listen.

“Maria”Character singing: Tony (tenor)Setting: outside the gymnasium, where Tony has just met and fallen in love with MariaSentiments expressed: he reflects rapturously on her name Key: B major—E flat majorTime signature: c


IntroductionEx. 5.14 Bernstein, West Side Story, “Maria”: Introduction

• themelodyopenswithchant-likeintonationsuggestingTony’sworshipfuladorationof Maria

• repeatedDsharpssupportedbymodalharmonyandfreerhythm

Ex. 5.15 Bernstein, West Side Story, “Maria”: mm. 9–11

• theversecontinueswithbeginningtritoneinterval:“Ma–ri–a”—E b (D #)–An–Bb. (This angular motive runs throughout most of the score; conveys strife, yearning and star-crossed love.)

• themelodytracesabroadarcbeforereturningtoopeningtheme• thechant-likemelodyreturnsatthecloseofthesong;servesaspostlude• orchestrationfeatureslushstringsdoublingthevoicepartthroughout;timpaniused

to heighten musical climaxes “America”Characters singing: Anita (mezzo soprano), Rosalia (soprano), and other Puerto Rican girlsSetting: an alley behind Bernardo and Maria’s houseSentiments expressed: While Rosalia expresses her homesickness for her native Puerto

Rico, Anita defiantly declares her love for her newfound home, Manhattan. Sondheim’s clever lyrics extol both virtues and false promises of The American Dream.

Formal structure: Verse–Chorus structure, preceded by introduction

Introduction: “Puerto Rico, you lovely island . . .”Ex. 5.16 Bernstein, West Side Story, “Puerto Rico, you lovely island . . .”: Introduction

• ambiguoustonality—modalinflectionsinmelodiclines• claves (wood blocks) and guiro (ribbed gourd) establish Latin ambience with cross-

rhythms and rhythmic ostinato• Spanishguitarandcelestaprovideundulatinglinesinparallelthirdsinrisingand

falling triplets


Ex. 5.17 Bernstein, West Side Story, “Puerto Rico, you lovely island . . .”: mm. 7–14

• sungbyRosaliainalyrical,declamatorystyle• asenseofyearningandnostalgiaisconveyedthroughlongphrasesandfreerhythm• Anita’sacerbicresponseconveysherloathingofPuertoRicoandherloveof

Manhattan

Ex. 5.18 Bernstein, West Side Story, “Puerto Rico, you lovely island . . .”: mm. 13–14

• wordpaintingon“breezes”isachievedthroughanarchedmotivebasedonthewhole-tone scale. Glissandi on string harmonics also contribute to the effect.

• therestofthesongunfoldsinaseriesofchorusesandversesplayedatafastertempo

Chorus: “I like to be in America”Key: C major, with sudden (jazzy) modulations

Ex. 5.19 Bernstein, West Side Story, “America,” chorus: mm. 50–53


• chorusconsistsofshortsyncopatedphrases,repeatingtheword“America”• versesusecallandresponsepatternstoconveyargumentativeexchangesbetween

Rosalia and Anita • chorusandversesalternatea and pattern, establishing the hemiola effect central

to this song• snappysyncopationsproviderhythmicenergy• Latinflavorachievedthroughuseofguitar,clavesandmaracas.Additionalpercussion

instruments (pitched and non-pitched) add texture; trumpets and drums give intensity to the overall sound

• colorfulorchestrationshelppaintvividportraits.Forexample,intheopening,Rosalia’s voice is doubled sweetly by a flute, while Anita is accompanied by a mournful oboe

If you watch the film versions of West Side Story, My Fair Lady, and The King and I, you might be struck by the similarity in the singing voices of the film’s stars, Natalie Wood, Audrey Hepburn, and Deborah Kerr respectively. That is because in all three films the actresses’ singing voices were overdubbed by American soprano Marni Nixon (b. 1930). Nixon has enjoyed a rich and varied performing career in musical theater, opera and concert. The fact that she was heard more often than she was seen in films earned her the sobriquet “The Ghostess with the Mostess.” Finally, in 1965 this “famously unfamous” singer was rewarded with an on-screen role: that of Sister Sophia in the film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music.


BernsteinMusical Highlights from West Side Story“The Dance at the Gym”This is the scene in which Tony and Maria meet for the first time. Leading up to their romantic meeting, there is a dynamic dance sequence featuring rich orchestration with brass and percussion, including bongos and cowbells, rhythmic hand clapping, and syncopated rhythms. The dances featured are the mambo and cha-cha. The excitement of the music and dancing reflects the tension and rivalry between the two gangs. At the moment of Maria and Tony’s meeting, the mambo fades away, and a gentle melody that foreshadows the tune of “Maria” is heard.

“Officer Krupke”Sondheim’s clever word play is evident in this irreverent humorous song, which provides comic relief in the context of the unfolding drama. The rapid-fire delivery of this number pokes fun at conventional society and offers a humorous take on juvenile delinquency.

Bernstein Works in Celebration Series Perspectives©:For Susanna Kyle (Piano Repertoire 6)

Alexina Louie and “Distant Memories”Canadian composer Alexina Louie has garnered an international reputation with her captivating and eclectic musical style. Her works encompass both traditional and contemporary features, and her style fuses European and Asian influences. Louie’s sense of theatrical and programmatic elements, and her engaging sense of humor have contributed to her popularity and success.

“Any composer’s writing is the sum of himself, of all his roots

and influences—I can only hope it adds up to something universal.”

Leonard Bernstein


Web

quest

Required Listening:

“Distant Memories,” from Music for PianoUsing the related terms, background information, and listening guide that follow, write your own description of “Distant Memories.”

Background Information“Distant Memories” is from a set of four pieces entitled Music for Piano. This work was commissioned by the Alliance for Canadian New Music Projects in 1982, and is very popular with piano teachers and students. We recommend you listen to all four pieces from Music for Piano before completing the listening guide for “Distant Memories.” The titles of each piece are as follows:

“The Enchanted Bells”“Changes”“Distant Memories”“Once upon a time”

Related TermsThe terms below are all related to “Distant Memories.” Using the key words and phrases provided, write a definition for each of the terms marked with an asterisk (*) in the Glossary on page 135.

*senza misura • literally,“withoutmeasure”• playedfreely,notinstricttime

quasi berceuse • quasi—in the style of• berceuse—French for lullaby

perdendosi • literally,“wastingaway”• performanceindicationtoletthesounddiminishgraduallyordieaway

*arch form• asectionalstructure,basedonrepetitioninreverseorder(forexample,ABCBA)• impartsanoverallsymmetry

Listening GuideListen to a recording of “Distant Memories.” Follow a score while you listen. (This piece can be found in Celebration Series, Perspectives© Piano Repertoire 9 and CD 9.)

Formal Structure: ABCBA1 (arch form)

A m. 1 senza misura B mm. 2–9 quasi berceuseC mm. 10–23 più mossoB1 mm. 24–35 a tempoA1 mm. 36–end senza misura

The Life and Music of Alexina Louie (b. 1949)Use the outline below to write an account of the life and music of Alexina Louie.

Family Background and Education• bornJuly30inVancouver,BritishColumbia,Canada• Chineseheritage:daughterofsecond-generationCanadians• childhood piano studies with Jean Lyons• earnedARCTinPianoPerformancefromTheRoyalConservatoryofMusic• startedundergraduatestudyasapsychologymajorbutswitchedtomusic;graduated

from UBC • pursuedMaster’sdegreeincompositionatUniversityofCaliforniaatSanDiego;main

teachers were Robert Erickson and Pauline Oliveros• underOliveros,waspartofeight-memberWomen’sEnsemblethatperformed

meditations through exercises in sound and movement; influenced her compositional approach

Life and Musical Career• earlycollegeteachingcareerinCalifornia• returnedtoCanada;settledinToronto• becamefoundingdirectorofEspritOrchestra,anensemblesignificantforitsdevotion

to Canadian composers and premieres of new works• currentfocusofcareeriscompositionbuthastaughttheoryandcompositionon

occasion at The Royal Conservatory of Music, York University, University of Western Ontario

• recipientofnumerousawards,includingtwoJunos,anhonorarydoctoratefromUniversity of Calgary, SOCAN (Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada) and the Order of Canada

• marriedtocomposerandconductorAlexPauk;theyhavetwodaughters

Musical Style• herstylecombinestraditionalstructureswithacontemporarylanguagethatretains

an emphasis on expression and communication• representsapan-ethnicperspective,combiningtraditionalAsianmusicwith

influences of Western style• reflectsinfluencesofminimalism• someworksincorporateelectronictechnology• includesprogrammaticelements• influencedbyCanadianFirstNationsmusicandnaturalimagery• musicalinfluencesincludeIgorStravinsky,ClaudeDebussy,OlivierMessiaen• musical humor comes across in many stage works, which quote the music of past

composers (for example, the comic opera Burnt Toast, which quotes Mozart and Wagner)• varied harmonic language embraces tonality, modality, extreme dissonance• piano music draws on the instrument’s expressive quality through extensive use of

pedal and delicate wind-chime-like figuration

Genres and Titles• keyboardmusic:includingDragon Bells, Scenes from a Jade Terrace, Music for Piano,

Fast Forward• chambermusic:includingDemon Gate, Edges• orchestralworks:includingMusic for Heaven and Earth, The Eternal Earth, Music for

a Thousand Autumns, O Magnum Mysterium (written in memory of Canadian pianist Glenn Gould)

• filmscores:The Five Senses, Last Night• vocalworks:Songs of Enchantment• operas:includingThe Scarlet Princess (with David Henry Hwang), Toothpaste, Burnt Toast • electronic music: Molly

1949

1970

197019801983


Web

questUse the Internet to learn more about Alexina Louie and her music. Do a search on her name, or enter the titles of works such as Thunder Dragon and Music for Piano to find recordings and videos. To learn more about musical activities and trends in Canada, visit the official websites of the Canadian Music Centre (CMC) and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) or simply search on “Canadian music.”

Required Listening:

“Distant Memories,” from Music for PianoUsing the related terms, background information, and listening guide that follow, write your own description of “Distant Memories.”

Background Information“Distant Memories” is from a set of four pieces entitled Music for Piano. This work was commissioned by the Alliance for Canadian New Music Projects in 1982, and is very popular with piano teachers and students. We recommend you listen to all four pieces from Music for Piano before completing the listening guide for “Distant Memories.” The titles of each piece are as follows:

“The Enchanted Bells”“Changes”“Distant Memories”“Once upon a time”

Related TermsThe terms below are all related to “Distant Memories.” Using the key words and phrases provided, write a definition for each of the terms marked with an asterisk (*) in the Glossary on page 135.

*senza misura • literally,“withoutmeasure”• playedfreely,notinstricttime

quasi berceuse • quasi—in the style of• berceuse—French for lullaby

perdendosi • literally,“wastingaway”• performanceindicationtoletthesounddiminishgraduallyordieaway

*arch form• asectionalstructure,basedonrepetitioninreverseorder(forexample,ABCBA)• impartsanoverallsymmetry

Listening GuideListen to a recording of “Distant Memories.” Follow a score while you listen. (This piece can be found in Celebration Series, Perspectives© Piano Repertoire 9 and CD 9.)

Formal Structure: ABCBA1 (arch form)

A m. 1 senza misura B mm. 2–9 quasi berceuseC mm. 10–23 più mossoB1 mm. 24–35 a tempoA1 mm. 36–end senza misura


Section A: senza misuraEx. 5.20 Louie, “Distant Memories,” Section A: senza misura

• notatedinrealtime:onthescore,theapproximatedurationofeachlineisindicatedin minutes and seconds

• noticetheunusualflaredbeamingintheopeningflourish:thenotesareplayed“fromslow to as fast as possible”

• additional contemporary notation features: note heads without stems; grace note effect on longer groups of notes (indicated with smaller font and slash across beam)

• subtledetailscreateimprovisedeffect:fermatas arrest the forward drive; use of irregular note groupings; directions such as poco rit. add to sense of spontaneity

Section B: Quasi berceuseEx. 5.21 Louie, “Distant Memories,” Section B: Quasi berceuse

• usesmeterednotation:timesignatureandmetronomemarkingsprovided• timesignaturechangesfrequently• harmonicallystatic;left-handintervalneverchanges• pianistisdirectedtoplay“withagentlyrockingmotion”• simple,innocenteffectwhichresultsconjuresupnostalgicmemoriesofchildhood

Section C: Più mossoEx. 5.22 Louie, “Distant Memories,” Section C: Più mosso, mm. 10 –13

• triplemetermaintainedthroughout


• newtempoindicationcallsformoreforwardmotion• firstappearanceofhomophonictexture:melodiclinepresentedoveranarpeggiated

accompaniment• moreharmonicinterest:basslinechangestosupportmelodicmotion

Section B ReturnsSection A Returns • modified and expanded

What technical challenges are presented in this piece?

In light of the title, what memories or images are conjured for you by this piece?


Louie“Thunder Dragon” from Music for Heaven and EarthIn the preface to the score of Music for Heaven and Earth, Louie describes the work as follows:

Because Music for Heaven and Earth is to be taken on the Toronto Symphony Pacific Rim tour a few days after its premiere in Toronto, the work offered me a unique opportunity to reach out to a large part of the world in a very direct and immediate way. It also offered me the opportunity to continue to explore the elements of my musical language (an integration of oriental musical concepts and Western art music) in a large orchestral context. Echoes of Gagaku music (Imperial court music of Japan) are heard in “Procession of Celestial Deities” and elements of Peking opera summon the “Thunder Dragon.”

“Stage 7: Disintegration” from Burnt Toast: Eight Mini Comic Operas About Love In 2006 Alexina Louie proved that she can write music in any style and have a lot of fun doing it. Her fifty-five minute opera traces the trajectory of love. In this scene, a hilarious courtroom drama unfolds in which a woman stands trial for the murder of her husband (death by Cuisinart). Louie draws on such Baroque conventions as secco recitatives and coloratura arias. Watch this scene to discover the jury’s verdict.

Alexina Louie Works in Celebration Series Perspectives©: O Moon (Piano Repertoire 8)Distant Memories (Piano Repertoire 9)

Summary: Elements of Modern-Era Musical StyleConsider how the following elements of 20th-century musical style were revealed in the pieces you studied in this unit, and give one example (composition title, chosen from the required works in this chapter) for each:

• expandedtonality Example:

• useofmodalscales Example:

• useofpentatonicscale Example:

• useofwhole-tonescale Example:


• useofpolychords Example:

• jazzinfluence Example:

• unconventionalnotation Example:

Review and ReflectionNow that you have sampled several compositions from the 20th century, comment on the following as they relate to specific composers and works you have studied.

new approaches to rhythm

harmonic language

influence of non-Western music

innovative orchestration

extra-musical associations

popular influences

What do you like best about 20th-century music?



GlossaryWrite definitions for each of the following terms (as required for the RCME History 1 Examination). Include one example (composition title and composer) for each:

absolute music

Example:

answer

Example:

antique cymbals

Example:

arch form

Example:

aria

Example:

art song

Example:

135

136 Glossary

atonality

Example:

ballet

Example:

Baroque

Example:

basso continuo

Example:

berceuse

Example:

binary form

Example:

cha cha

Example:

chamber music

Example:

changing meter

Example:

choreography

Example:

chromaticism

Example:

classicism

Example:

cloches

Example:

coda

Example:

137Glossary

138 Glossary

col legno

Example:

counterpoint

Example:

countersubject

Example:

cyclical structure

Example:

da capo aria

Example:

development

Example:

Dies irae

Example:

139Glossary

drone

Example:

durchkomponiert

Example:

episode

Example:

equal temperament

Example:

exoticism in music

Example:

exposition

Example:

figured bass

Example:

140 Glossary

flutter tongue

Example:

folk song

Example:

French overture

Example:

fugue

Example:

glissando

Example:

habañera

Example:

hemiola

Example:

141Glossary

homophonic texture

Example:

homorhythmic texture

Example:

idée fixe

Example:

Impressionism in music

Example:

libretto

Example:

Lied (Lieder)

Example:

mambo

Example:

142 Glossary

melisma

Example:

menuet and trio

Example:

modal scales

Example:

monophonic texture

Example:

motive

Example:

musical

Example:

nationalism in music

Example:

143Glossary

opera

Example:

ophicléide

Example:

oratorio

Example:

ostinato

Example:

pedal point

Example:

pentatonic scale

Example:

Petrushka chord

Example:

144 Glossary

polonaise

Example:

polyphonic texture

Example:

polyrhythm

Example:

polytonality

Example:

portamento

Example:

prelude

Example:

prelude (in opera)

Example:

145Glossary

primitivism

Example:

program music

Example:

program symphony

Example:

real answer

Example:

recapitulation

Example:

recitativo accompagnato

Example:

recitativo secco

Example:

146 Glossary

ripieno

Example:

ritornello form

Example:

rocket theme

Example:

Romanticism

Example:

rondo form

Example:

rounded binary form

Example:

rubato

Example:

147Glossary

scherzo and trio

Example:

senza misura

Example:

serenade

Example:

sonata cycle

Example:

sonata form

Example:

stretto

Example:

string quartet

Example:

148 Glossary

subject

Example:

Symbolism

Example:

symphonic poem

Example:

symphony

Example:

ternary form

Example:

terraced dynamics

Example:

the “Affections”

Example:

149Glossary

theme and variations

Example:

tierce de Picardie

Example:

tonal answer

Example:

tritone

Example:

verismo

Example:

verse–chorus structure

Example:

Viennese school

Example:

violinata

Example:

whole-tone scale

Example:

word painting

Example:

150 Glossary

151

Appendix A Recommended Resources

Dictionaries and EncyclopediasChwialkowski, Jerzy. The Da Capo Catalogue of Classical Music Compositions. New

York: Da Capo Press, 1996.Kallman, Helmut, Gilles Potvin, and Kenneth Winters, eds. Encyclopedia of Music in

Canada. 2nd ed. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1992; available online at www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com

Kennedy, Michael, and Joyce Bourne, eds. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 5th ed. London: Oxford University Press, 2007.

. The Oxford Dictionary of Music. Rev. ed. London: Oxford University Press, 2006. Available online by subscription at www.oxfordmusiconline.com

Randel, Don Michael, ed. The Harvard Concise Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Cambridge, MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1999.

. The Harvard Dictionary of Music. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2003.

Sadie, Stanley, ed. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. 2nd ed., 29 vols. London: Macmillan, 2001. Available online by subscription at www.oxfordmusiconline.com

. The New Grove Dictionary of Opera. 4 vols. London: Macmillan, 1992.

. The W.W. Norton/Grove Concise Encyclopedia of Music. New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 1988.

Slonimsky, Nicholas. Baker’s Biographical Dictionary of Musicians. 9th ed. New York, NY: Schirmer Reference, 2000.

Westrup, Jack Allan, et al. The New College Encyclopedia of Music. New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 1981.

General TextsAbraham, Gerald, ed. The Concise Oxford History of Music. New York, NY: Oxford

University Press, 1985.Grout, Donald Jay, Claude V. Palisca, and J. Peter Burkholder. A History of Western

Music. 8th ed. New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 2006.Hanning, Barbara Russanno. A Concise History of Western Music. 3rd ed. New York, NY:

W.W. Norton, 2007.Holoman, D. Kern. Masterworks: A Musical Discovery. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, New

Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2001.Machlis, Joseph, and Kristine Forney. The Enjoyment of Music. 10th ed. New York, NY:

W.W. Norton, 2007.Schonberg, Harold C. Lives of the Great Composers. 3rd ed. New York, NY: W.W. Norton,

1997.Stolba, K. Marie. The Development of Western Music: A History. 3rd ed. Boston, MA:

McGraw-Hill, 1998.Yudkin, Jeremy. Understanding Music. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1999.

152

Baroque Period TextsBoyd, Malcolm. J.S. Bach. London: Oxford University Press, 1999.Bukofzer, Manfred. Music in the Baroque Era: From Monteverdi to Bach. New York, NY:

W.W. Norton, 1947.David, Hans T., and Arthur Mendel, eds. The New Bach Reader. Revised and enlarged by

Christoph Wolff. New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 1999.Hogwood, Christopher. Handel. New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 1996.Landon, H.C. Robbins. Handel and His World. Boston, Massachusetts: Little, Brown,

1984.Palisca, Claude V. Baroque Music. 3rd ed. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall,

1991.Talbot, Michael. Vivaldi. London: J.M. Dent and Sons, 1978Wolff, Christoph. Johann Sebastian Bach: The Learned Musician. New York, NY:

W.W. Norton, 2000.. The World of the Bach Cantatas. New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 1997.

Classical Period TextsCooper, Barry. The Beethoven Compendium: A Guide to Beethoven’s Life and Music. New

York, NY: W.W. Norton, 1996.Deutsch, Otto Erich. Mozart: A Documentary Biography. Stanford: Stanford University

Press, 1991.Downs, Philip G. Classical Music: The Era of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. New York,

NY: W.W. Norton, 1992.Geiringer, Karl. Haydn: A Creative Life in Music. 3rd ed. Revised and expanded. Berkeley:

University of California Press, 1983.Hamburger, Michael, ed. Beethoven’s Letters, Journals, and Conversations. New York,

NY: W.W. Norton, 1992. Kerman, Joseph and Alan Tyson, et al. The New Grove Beethoven. New York, NY:

W.W. Norton, 1997.Landon, H.C. Robbins. Haydn: The Early Years, 1732–1765. New York, NY: W.W. Norton,

1995.. Haydn: At Esterhaza, 1766–1790. New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 1995.. Haydn in England, 1791–1795. New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 1995.. Haydn: The Years of “The Creation.” New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 1995.. Haydn: The Late Years, 1801–1809. New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 1995.

Pauly, Reinhard G. Music in the Classic Period. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2000.

Ratner, Leonard G. Classic Music: Expression, Form and Style. New York, NY: Schirmer, 1980.

Rosen, Charles. The Classical Style: Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. Expanded edition. New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 1998.

Solomon, Maynard. Mozart: A Life. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers, 1995. . Beethoven. New York, NY: Schirmer Books, 1977.

Spaethling, Robert, ed. Mozart’s Letters, Mozart’s Life: Selected Letters. New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 2000.

Zaslaw, Neal, and William Cowdery, eds. The Complete Mozart: A Guide to the Musical Works of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 1990.

153Appendix A

Romantic Period TextsAtwood, William G. Fryderyk Chopin: Pianist from Warsaw. New York, NY: Columbia

University Press, 1987.Barzun, Jacques. Berlioz and His Century: An Introduction to the Age of Romanticism.

Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1982.Brown, Maurice J.E., and Eric Sams. The New Grove Schubert. New York, NY:

W.W. Norton, 1997. Dean, Winton. Georges Bizet: His Life and His Work. London: J.M. Dent and Sons, 1948;

3rd ed., 1975.Deutsch, Otto Erich. The Schubert Reader: A Life of Franz Schubert in Letters and

Documents. New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 1977.Holoman, D. Kern. Berlioz: A Musical Biography of the Creative Genius of the Romantic

Era. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1989.Longyear, Rey M. Nineteenth-Century Romanticism in Music. 3rd ed. Englewood Cliffs,

New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1988.Macdonald, Hugh, ed. Selected Letters of Berlioz. New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 1997.Rosen, Charles. The Romantic Generation. (with CD) Cambridge, Massachusetts:

Harvard University Press, 1995.Samson, Jim. The Music of Chopin. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1994.Walker, Alan, ed. The Chopin Companion. New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 1973.Zamoyski, Adam. Chopin: A New Biography. Garden City, New York, NY: Doubleday,

1980.

Twentieth-Century TextsBurton, Humphrey. Leonard Bernstein. New York, NY: Anchor Books, 1995.Craft, Robert. Stravinsky: Glimpses of a Life. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press, 1992.Kostka, Stefan. Materials and Techniques of Twentieth-Century Music. 2nd ed.

Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1999.Lockspeiser, Edward. Debussy. London: J.M. Dent and Sons, 1936; rev. ed., 1963.Machlis, Joseph. An Introduction to Contemporary Music. 2nd ed. New York, NY: W.W.

Norton, 1979.Myers, Paul. Leonard Bernstein. New York, NY: Phaidon Press, 1998.Proctor, George A. Canadian Music of the Twentieth Century. Toronto: University of

Toronto Press, 1980. Salzman, Eric. Twentieth Century Music: An Introduction. 4th ed. Englewood Cliffs, New

Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2002.Stravinsky, Igor. An Autobiography. New York, NY: W.W. Norton, 1998.Stravinsky, Vera, and Robert Craft. Stravinsky in Pictures and Documents. New York,

NY: Simon and Schuster, 1978.Watkins, Glenn. Soundings: Music in the Twentieth Century. New York, NY: Schirmer,

1988.

Internet Resources (General Sites)Worldwide Internet Music Resources http://www.music.indiana.edu/music_resources/Sibelius Academy Music Resources http://www.siba.fi/Kulttuuripalvelut/music.htmlThe Classical Music Pages http://w3.rz-berlin.mpg.de/cmp/classmus.htmlClassical Net http://www.classical.net/

154 Appendix A

Video Resources (VHS) The Famous Composers Series. (Distributed by KULTUR.) Written, produced, and

directed by Malcolm Hossick. Titles include: Johann Sebastian Bach, Ludwig van Beethoven, Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Giacomo Puccini, Franz Schubert, Igor Stravinsky.

A & E “Biography” Series. (Distributed by New Video) Titles include “Mozart” and “Beethoven: The Sound and The Fury”.

The Story of the Symphony. (Distributed by KULTUR.) With André Previn and The Royal Philharmonic. Six-part Series. Vol. 1: Haydn and Mozart, Vol. 2: Beethoven, Vol. 3: Berlioz.

Beethoven, Ludwig van. Symphony No. 5 in C minor, op. 67• Leonard Bernstein, Vienna Philharmonic, DG 44007 32043Berlioz, Hector. Symphonie fantastique• John Eliot Gardiner, Orchestre Révolutionaire et Romantique. Philips 440 070 254 3Bernstein, Leonard. West Side Story• Bernstein conducts, with Te Kanawa, Troyanos, Carreras, DG 072 206 B GVG• Film version, directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, starring Natalie Wood,

MGM Musicals 0 7928 65295 3Bizet, Georges. Carmen • Film version, directed by P. Rosi, Lorin Maazel, Orchestre national de France, with

Migenes, Domingo, Esham, Raimondi, Columbia 60487Chopin, Frédéric. Selections• Lazar Berman, KULTUR 1 56127 428 1Handel, Georg Frideric. Messiah• Neville Marriner, Academy and Chorus of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, McNair, Otter,

Chance, Hadley, Philips 440 070 5323Schubert, Franz. Lieder• Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Warner 6 3984 23031 3 2

Video Resources (DVD)Bach, Johann Sebastian. The Well-Tempered Clavier, 48 Preludes and Fugues• Hewitt, MacGregor, Demidenko, Gavrilov [each plays 12], Studio Image

EntertainmentBeethoven, Ludwig van. Symphony No. 5 in C minor, op. 67• Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic, SONY Classical 1 57330 135 3• TheStoryoftheSymphony;NarratedandconductedbyAndréPrevinwiththe

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, RM Arts/Image EntertainmentBerlioz, Hector. Symphonie fantastique• The Story of the Symphony; André Previn, Royal Philharmonia Orchestra, RM Arts/

Image Entertainment ID 5818RADVD• John Eliot Gardiner, Orchestre Révolutionaire et Romantique, Philips

Bizet, Georges. Carmen• James Levine, Metropolitan Opera, Baltsa, Carreras, Mitchell, Ramey, DG 0730009• Zubin Mehta, Covent Garden, Ewing, Lima, Vadura, Quilico RM 14381 5782 2• Cast of the Rosi film version: Lorin Maazel, Orchestre national de France, Migenes,

Domingo. Esham, Raimondi, ColumbiaDebussy, Claude. Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun• HerbertvonKarajan,BerlinPhilharmonic,SONYClassical073891923

Handel, Georg Frideric. Messiah• King’sCollegeChoir,StephenCleobury,BrandenburgConsort,RM1438158152

155Appendix A

Puccini, Giacomo. Madama Butterfly• Cast of the Mitterand film version: James Conlon, conductor, with Ying Huang,

Troxell, Columbia• Maazel, Teatro Alla Scala, Hayashi, Kim, Dvorsky, Studio Image Entertainment• Karajan, Freni, Domingo, Ludwig, directed by Ponelle, DECCA

Vivaldi, Antonio. The Four Seasons• Nigel Kennedy, EMI 7243 4 92499 9 8• Anne-Sophie Mutter, solo violin, Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic, SONY

Classical 1 57330 135 3

Appendix BRecommended Listening Materials

The following is a list of suggested recordings for each of the required pieces discussed in this volume:

Bach, Johann Sebastian. The Well-Tempered Clavier• Vladimir Ashkenazy, Decca 475 6832 • Bob von Asperen, Virgin 3 49963-2• Kenneth Gilbert, DG Archiv 413 439 • Glenn Gould, Sony SM2K 52600, SM2K 52603• Angela Hewitt, Hyperion CDA 67301/2, CDA 67303/4• Keith Jarrett, ECM 835246• Ralph Kirkpatrick, DG Archiv 463 601 2• Sviatoslav Richter, RCA 82876 62315-2• Bernard Roberts, Nimbus NI 5608/11• Andras Schiff, Decca 414 388 • Suzuki, BIS CD 813/4• Rosalyn Tureck, DG 463 305

Beethoven, Ludwig van. Symphony No. 5• Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Herbert von Karajan, DG 419 051-2,

DG 439 004-2• Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Sir George Solti, Decca 443 756-2• Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Christoph von Dohnanyi, Telarc 80163• Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by George Szell, Sony Ess. SBK 47651 • RoyalConcertgebouw Orchestra, conducted by Wolfgang Sawallisch, EMI 73326-2• Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, conducted by Kurt Masur, Philips 434 156 2 • Münchner Philharmoniker, conducted by Sergiu Celibidache, EMI 7243 5 56837 2• New York Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Kurt Masur, Warner Apex 8573

89078• Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique, conducted by John Eliot Gardiner, DG

Archiv 439 900• Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Eugene Ormandy, Sony 63266• West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, conducted by Daniel Barenboim, Warner 2564

621791-2• Wiener Philharmoniker, conducted by Carlos Kleiber, DG 415 861-2GH• Zurich Tonhalle, conducted by David Zinman, Arte Nova 74321 49695-2

Berlioz, Hector. Symphonie fantastique• Chicago Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Daniel Barenboim, Teldec 4509-98800-2• L’Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, conducted by Charles Dutoit, Decca 458011• Orchestre Révolutionaire et Romantique, conducted by John Eliot Gardiner, Philips

434 402-2• Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam, conducted by Sir Colin Davis, Philips

464692• The Cleveland Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Pierre Boulez, DG 45343-2

156

157Appendix A

Bernstein, Leonard. West Side Story• Leonard Bernstein conducts West Side Story with Kiri Te Kanawa, José Carreras,

Tatiana Troyanos, Kurt Ollmann, Marilyn Horne, DG 457 199-2, London 452-916

• Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, DG 410 025-2 • Original Cast, Columbia SK 60724• Symphonic Dances, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, conducted by David Zinman

The Songs of West Side Story, RCA 62707

Britten, Benjamin. The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra • London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Benjamin Britten, London 417 509-2• Minnesota Orchestra, conducted by Neville Marriner, EMI CDC 7 49300-2• Narrated by Dame Edna Everage, Melbourne S.O., Lanchberry, Naxos 8.554170• Narrated by Sean Connery, RPO, Dorati, Decca Phase 4 444 104-2• New York Philharmonic, conducted by Leonard Bernstein, Sony 7464 46712-2

Chopin, Frédéric. Polonaise, op. 53• Martha Argerich, EMI 7243 5 56805 2 5• Vladimir Ashkenazy, Double Decca 452 167-2• Idil Biret, Naxos 8.550360• Alexander Brailowsky, Sony SBK 46546• Vladimir Horowitz, CBS MK 42306• Josef Lhévinne, Philips 456889 2• Maurizio Pollini, DG SACD 471 648-2• Artur Rubinstein, RCA 5615 2

Debussy, Claude. Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune• The Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Pierre Boulez, DG 435 766-2• Concertgebouw, conducted by Bernard Haitink, Philips Duo 438 742-2• L’Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, conducted by Ernst Ansermet, DECCA 433 711-2• London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by André Previn, EMI 3 91967-2• Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen, Sony SK 62599• Metropolitan Orchestra of Montreal, conducted by Yannick Nezet-Séguin, Atma

SACD 2 2549• Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, conducted by Charles Dutoit, London 430240-2• Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Eugene Ormandy, Sony SBK 53256 • Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Serge Baudo, CD-EMX 9502

Handel, George Frideric. Messiah• Arnold Schoenberg Choir, Vienna Concentus Musicus, conducted by Nikolaus

Harnoncourt, DHM.BMG 82876 64072-2• Bach Collegium Japan, conducted by Masaaki Suzuki, BIS 891/892• Cambridge Choir, Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, conducted by Rene Jacobs, HM HMC

90 1928/9• Cambridge Singers, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by John Rutter,

COLCD 132-2• Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Sir Georg Solti, Decca 414

396-2• Gabrieli Consort and Players, conducted by Paul McCreesh, DG 477 066-2• Les Arts Florissants, conducted by William Christie, HMX 2901498.99• Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists, conducted by John Eliot Gardiner,

Philips 434 297-2 • Taverner Choir and Players, conducted by Andrew Parrott, Virgin Veritas 5620042• The English Concert and Choir, conducted by Trevor Pinnock, DG Archiv 423 630• Toronto Mendelssohn Choir, Toronto Symphony, conducted by Andrew Davis, EMI

CDC-7 49027 2

158 Appendix B

Haydn, Franz Joseph. String Quartet, op. 76, no. 2 (“Quinten”)• Eder Quartet, Warner Apex 0927 40284-2• Mosaïques Quartet, Astrée E 8665

Louie, Alexina• Canadian Music for Piano, Louise Bessette, CBC MVCD 1064• Celebration Series Perspectives©, CD 9, The Frederick Harris Music Co., Limited,

Mississauga, Ontario, Canada• Virtuoso Piano Music of Our Own Time, Christina Petrowska, JLH 1002

Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus. Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K 525• Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, conducted by Neville Marriner, Decca 433634 • City of London Sinfonia, Watkinson• I Musici de Montréal, conducted by Yuli Turovsky, Chandos CHAN 9045• I Musici, Philips IMS 410 606-2• Le Concert des Nations, Savall, Alia Vox SACD AVSA 9846• Prague Chamber Orchestra, Mackerras, Telarc CD 10108• Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Leppard, Warner Apex 0927 48691-2• Wiener Mozart Ensemble 4, Willi Boskovsky, Decca 443 458 2

Puccini, Giacomo. Madama Butterfly• Freni/Carreras/Berganza/Pons, Ambrosian Opera Chorus, Philharmonia Orchestra,

Philharmonia Orchestra, Giuseppe Sinopoli, DG 423 567-2• Freni/Pavarotti/Ludwig/Kerns, Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by Herbert von

Karajan, London 417 577-2• Scotto/di Stasio/Bergonzi/Panerai, Orchestra and Chorus of the Rome Opera,

conducted by Sir John Barbirolli, EMI CMS 7 69654 2 • Tebaldi/Bergonzi/Sordello/Cossotto, Santa Cecilia Academy Chorus and Orchestra,

conducted by Tullio Serafin, Decca 425 531-2

Schubert, Franz. Erlkönig• Bostridge/Blake, EMI CDC 556347• Fischer-Dieskau/Moore, DG 431 085 2, DG 453 676 2• Goerne/Haefliger, Decca 4529172• Terfel/Martineau, DG 445294 32• Walker/Vignoles, CRD CRD 3464

Schubert, Franz. (Lieder)• Schubert Lieder, performed by Fischer-Dieskau/Moore, DG 437 214-2• The Hyperion Schubert Edition, performed by Johnson et al., 36 CD Series

Stravinsky, Igor. Petrushka• Boston Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Pierre Monteux, RCA 6529-2• City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Simon Rattle, EMI CDC 7

49503 2• The Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Pierre Boulez, CBS MK 42395• London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Kent Nagano, Erato 3984-23142-2• New York Philharmonic, conducted by Leonard Bernstein, Sony 82876 78749-2• Philadelphia Orchestra, conducted by Riccardo Muti, EMI CDC 7 47408 2• Philharmonia Orchestra, conducted by Robert Craft, Naxos 8.557500• Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, conducted by Colin Davis, Philips 416 498-2

159Appendix B

Vivaldi, Antonio. The Four Seasons, op. 8• Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, soloist Joshua Bell, Sony BMG 711013• Concentus Musicus Wien, conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt, soloist Alice

Harnoncourt, Teldec 91851• Concerto Italiano, conducted by Rinaldo Alessandri, NAÏVE 30363• English Chamber Orchestra, soloist Nigel Kennedy, EMI CDC 56253• English Concert, conducted by Trevor Pinnock, CRD 3325• Europa Galante, conducted by Fabio Bionte, Virgin Classics 0724356525• I Solisti Veneti, conducted by Claudio Scimone, Erato 4509 99666• Il Giardino Armonico, conducted by Giovanni Antonini, Teldec 4509 97971-2• Raglan Baroque Players, conducted by Nicholas Kraemer, soloist Monica Huggett,

Virgin CDVB 61668• Tafelmusik, conducted by Jeanne Lamon, Sony SK 48251• Venice Baroque Orchestra, conducted by Andrea Marcon, soloist Giuliano

Carmignola, Brilliant BLC 93091

DVD

Bach, Johann Sebastian. The Well-Tempered Clavier• Andrei Gavrilov, Joanna McGregor, Nikolai Demedenko, Angela Hewitt, EuroArts

DVD 2050309

Beethoven, Ludwig van. Symphony No. 5 in C minor, op. 67• London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Leopold Stokowski, EMI DVD

492842-9• Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Herbert von Karajan, EuroArts DVD 2072118

Berlioz, Hector. Symphonie fantastique• Sounds Magnificent (The Story of the Symphony)—Berlioz Symphonie fantastique,

André Previn and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, RPO (1984)

Bernstein, Leonard. West Side Story• The Making of the Recording, Leonard Bernstein with Te Kanawa, Carreras, Troyanos,

Ollmann, DG 073 4054

Debussy, Claude. Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune• Robert Orledge, Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Royal Ballet dancers, Capriccio 93517

Handel, Georg Frideric. Messiah• Nelson/Kirkby/Watkinson/Elliott/Thomas, Westminster Abbey Choir, Academy of

Ancient Music, Christopher Hogwood, Warner DVD 0630-17834-2

Puccini, Giacomo. Madama Butterfly• Freni/Ludwig/Domingo, Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Herbert von

Karajan, directed by Jean-Pierre Ponelle, DG 00400 073 4037

Stravinsky, Igor. Petrushka• Return of The Firebird: Firebird, Petrushka, Scheherazade, Andris Liepa, Bolshoi State

Theatre Decca 440 079 322-9

Vivaldi, Antonio. The Four Seasons• Nigel Kennedy, English Chamber Orchestra, directed by Nigel Kennedy, Wesley

Classics, ECO DVD 4924982 • Gidon Kremer, English Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Christopher Nupen, DG

DVD 073 4415• Julia Fischer, Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, conducted by Kenneth Sillito, BBC

Opus Arte DVD OA 0818

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